The following are notable (non-state) terrorist incidents that have occurred in Sri Lanka. The list is in chronological order and does not include attacks against military bases or military personnel, who were engaged in duty during the Sri Lankan Civil War and JVP insurrections.
A number of terrorists attacks have occurred in Sri Lanka, especially during the periods of the Sri Lankan Civil War and the second JVP insurrection. Sri Lanka has experienced some of the worst terrorist attacks that have occurred worldwide, with 100 or more fatalities over the last 100 years.Map of worst terrorist attacks worldwide: 100 or more fatalities, Robert JohnstonBeyond Fear: Thinking Sensibly About Security in an Uncertain World, Bruce Schneier, pg 240
Incidents by decade
1970s DateAttackLocationDeathsPerpetratorsNotes 27 July 1975 Assassination of Alfred Duraiappah Jaffna, Jaffna District 1 LTTE Mayor of Jaffna Alfred Duraiappah is shot to death by LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, in the first major attack by the group. 14 February 1977 Shooting of PC Karunandhi Maviddapuram, Jaffna District 1 LTTE Police Constable A. Karunandhi is shot to death for investigating crimes committed by the LTTE. This attack would be one of the events leading to the 1977 anti-Tamil pogrom. 7 April 1978 Murunkan massacre Murunkan, Mannar District 4 LTTE A team of four CID officers: Bastianpillai, Perampalan, Police Sergeant Balasingham and Police ConstableSriwardene, were massacred by Uma Maheswaran and other LTTE members.
1980s DateAttackLocationDeathsPerpetratorsNotes23 July 1983Ambush Killing of Sri Lankan Army personnelThirunelveli, Jaffna, Sri Lanka13LTTEOn the night of July 23, 1983, a routine Sri Lankan night patrol was ambushed and killed by the LTTE in Thirunelveli, resulting in the immediate deaths of 1 Sri Lankan Army officer and 12 of his soldiers. 30 November 1984 Kent and Dollar Farm massacres Kent and Dollar Farms, Vavuniya District 62 LTTE LTTE cadres shoot 62 Sinhalese villagers dead and injured several others.LTTE genocide at Kent and Dollar Farms, Daily News 1 December 19841984 Kokkilai massacreKokkilai, Mullaitivu District11LTTELTTE cadres kill eleven Sinhalese civilians.Letter sent by the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the Centre for Human Rights, Government of Sri Lanka, 9 August 199431 December 1984Batticaloa massacreBatticaloa, Batticaloa District4LTTELTTE members kill 4 Tamil civilians and dump them outside Batticaloa for refusing to join the group. 19 January 1985 Yal Devi attack Murikandy, Mullaitivu District 34 LTTE / TELO LTTE bombed the northern railway line at Murikandy, killing 34 people and completely destroying the tracks.Yal Devi readies for return to Jaffna, Ceylon Today 14 May 1985 Anuradhapura massacre Anuradhapura, Anuradhapura District 146 LTTE LTTE cadres invaded Anuradhapura town and opened fire indiscriminately with automatic weapons killing and wounding many civilians. Then they drove to the sacred Buddhist shrine Sri Maha Bodhi and gunned down nuns, monks and civilians who were worshiping there.The LTTE attack on Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi marks 28 years, Hiru NewsParithy, one of Sri Maha Bodhi attackers, Sunday ObserverMajor LTTE massacres and destruction, Daily News 3 May 1986 Air Lanka Flight 512 Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake 21 LTTEAir Lanka Flight 512 which had arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport from London Gatwick Airport was about to fly on to the Maldives Islands. A bomb which was planted by Tamil Tigers exploded and ripped the aircraft in two. It carried mainly European and Japanese tourists. 7 May 1986 Central Telegraph Office bombing Central Telegraph Office, Colombo 14 JVP JVP claimed responsibility for its first attack since 1970.Bombing in Sri Lanka kills 1 New York Times The attack killed 14 civilians and wounded 164 more civilians. 17 April 1987 Aluth Oya massacre Aluth Oya, North Central Province 127LTTE127 Sinhalese civilians who were separated from the other passengers from three buses were gunned down by LTTE.Lest we forget the LTTE, The Island, K. Godage 21 April 1987 Colombo central bus station bombing Central Bus Stand, Pettah 113 LTTELTTE exploded a bomb at the central bus terminal of Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. The bombing killed 113 civilians.LTTE Terrorist Attacks Selected Chronology (since 1987), Victor Gunasekara 2 June 1987 Aranthalawa Massacre Aranthalawa, Ampara District 35 LTTE LTTE cadres mutilated and killed 33 young Buddhist monks and their mentor, Ven. Hegoda Sri Indrasara Thera, who was the chief priest of Vidyananda Pirivena, Ampara.Monument of Aranthalawa Massacre, Amazing Lanka 18 August 1987 1987 grenade attack in the Sri Lankan Parliament Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayawardenepura 2 JVP A JVP communist assailant hurled 2 grenades into a room where government MPs were meeting, with the then Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayawardene and Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa. A Member of Parliament and a Ministry secretary were killed by the explosions.Bomb Attack on Parliament , Daily News 16 February 1988 Kathiresan Hindu temple attack Kathiresan Hindu temple, Bambalapitiya, Colombo 10 JVP At least 10 people died and 26 others were injured when two bombs blasted in a crowded Hindu temple during a religious festival.Bomb Attack on Hindu Temple, Tamil Times, February 1988 13 December 1988 Attack on the Magazine prison (Welikada jail break) Magazine Prison, Welikada, Colombo Unknown JVP Armed cadres of JVP attacked the Magazine Prison, a maximum security prison and also the largest prison in Sri Lanka. 170 suspected JVP cadres managed to escape from the prison by this attack.JVP fear psychosis – Part V:Magazine Prison attack, Daily News, Geoff WijesingheUnmasking the real face of the JVP, Frederica Jansz, The Sunday Leader 8 February 1989 1989 Temple of the Tooth attack Temple of the Tooth, Kandy 5 JVP Armed cadres of JVP attacked, Sri Dalada Maligawa, one of the holiest Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.JVP can’t deny they attacked the Dalada Maligawa using firearms — Diyawadana Nilame, The Island July 1989 Kataragama temple Esala procession bombing Kataragama temple, Kataragama 15 JVP Cadres of JVP attacked the annual Esala Procession of the Kataragama temple.Murugan-Shaitan Showdown, Patrick Harrigan interviews Swami Siva-Kalki, The Sunday Times, August 19, 1990 This grenade attack killed about 15 and many more were wounded.Collected Bodhi Leaves, page 183
1990s