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LTTE bent on building flying machine Armed forces are aware of the attempts made by terrorists to build a machine that can fly, a senior Airforce officer said yesterday. Forces came across a model of a machine during Riviresa operations to regain the Jaffna peninsula in late 1995, he told The Island. Troops found a model built of steel after they secured Neerveli, a major terrorist stronghold in the peninsula, he said. "I saw it," the officer said adding that manufacturing of a helicopter or any other type of machine that can fly is not an easy thing. The model found in an abandoned terrorist camp is the only evidence the armed forces have of ongoing enemy efforts to develop a machine that can fly. The model had been built to be operated by a single person. However the terrorists had not left behind any evidence to indicate the way they hoped to airlift the machine, security sources said. The LTTE needs some machine that can fly perhaps just a couple of kms to deliver a substantial amount of explosives to a target, senior security forces officers point out. It was not clear whether the LTTE was able to resume its attempts after relocating main bases in the Wanni. The military said that there was no doubt the LTTE had made attempts to secure light aircraft or helicopters amidst ongoing bids to build locally a machine that can fly. In the past ten years, the LTTE had locally built several arms and equipment. The September 26 [this year] detection made by an Israeli built Fast Attack Craft [FAC] off Mullaithivu had fuelled speculation that terrorists had managed to acquire at least one helicopter or a fixed wing aircraft. The FAC’s radar had recorded echoes of something which moved fast. The FAC was involved in escorting a naval convoy moving to Trincomalee from Kankesanthurai. It was not clear why other craft in the convoy failed to detect the same echoes. Airforce headquarters said that armed forces personnel have not sighted any unidentified aircraft. Recently Airforce officers made inquiries from some troops deployed in the Wanni whether they have seen any unidentified aircraft, the Airforce said. The military said that since June 1996, forces have taken a series of steps to face possible attacks from air. Apart from the military, even the Foreign Ministry at that time said that it had obtained information that terrorists had secured light aircraft. Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in June 1995 told the French Minister for European Affairs, Michael Barnier during a meeting at Luxembourg that LTTE had secured six French built micro light aircraft. Mr. Kadirgamar had raised the possibility of LTTE securing micro light aircraft from France to intensify the war against the government armed forces, the Foreign Ministry said at that time. During Luxembourg talks with several foreign ministers including the French Minister for European Affairs, Barnier, Mr. Kadirgamar had pointed out that acquisition of micro light aircraft and surface to air missiles threatened not only Sri Lanka but other countries in the Indian sub-continent. Armed forces camps have been alerted to face possible threats from the air. A senior security forces officer said that certain steps have been taken in this regard. In September 1995 the government temporarily banned all private aircraft/helicopter operators except for Lionair amidst claims that terrorists were planning to hijack aircraft. After the September 28 shooting down of Lionair flight 602, Lion air too had been grounded. Monara which launched services just a couple of months ago too had been grounded. Highly placed naval sources said that there was no truth in recent claims that a terrorist suspect arrested during an operation at Punguduthivu island on October 6 had revealed acquisition of three light aircraft. "There was no truth in these claims," sources said. The suspect, sources said was released after questioning during a routine operation in the Punguduthivu island. "He did not say a thing about helicopters or aircraft," sources said. Navy headquarters said that the top brass sought clarification from naval authorities in the north after seeing a report of the Punguduthivu arrest and the acquisition of three light aircraft. "There is a lot of speculation and rumours," sources said adding that some have claimed that troops during the recent battles at Kilinochchi had seen a helicopter or something similar. However the Airforce insists that contrary to claims, no armed forces personnel have seen helicopters or fixed wing aircraft operated by the LTTE. Despite that certain measures have been taken to improve armed forces capability to face a threat from the air. Public servants who wanted to contest PC
polls in a quandary without jobs or pay The public servants who obtained no-pay leave to tender nomination papers to contest the Provincial Councils elections scheduled for August last are now unemployed since they have not been re-instated in their jobs, not have their leave made with pay. The public servants who obtained leave without pay to submit nominations seeking election to the Provincial Councils include a number of teachers and those in other state departments. Now that the elections were postponed the public servants face a serious problem of getting back to their places of work since they could not be re instated under existing Financial Regulations. The elections have not been cancelled and their nominations are pending. D. M. M. Dissa-nayake a teacher by profession who has obtained no-pay leave to submit nominations to contest the Central Provincial Council elections and who is making submissions to the state has proposed that steps be taken to convert the no-pay leave to leave with pay. Mr. Dissanayake has submitted his appeal to the Home Affairs Minister and the Attorney General among others. President hopeful of end of war next
year President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on Saturday expressed hope that the ongoing war in the North and East would come to an end sometime next year. Speaking at the Investiture ceremony held at the BMICH, the President said that the armed forces fighting a restless enemy will need a respite. " They will also be yearning for peace. Hopefully with your courage and gallantry we will be able to achieve that sometime next year ", she said. At this ceremony to mark the presentation of gallantry awards to members of security forces and the Police involved in the Northern war the President awarded the following honours and medals: Parama Weera Vibhushana (PWV) Weerodhara Vibhushana (WV) Weera Wickrama Vibhushana (WWV) Rana Wickrama (RW) and (Rana Sura). Decrying attempts by some political groups to devalue the successes achieved by the security forces in the North during the last four years the President told the military and police officers and men present "Don't worry about the barkings of dogs. You don’t have to take those who indulge in their canine habits seriously. I am ashamed and feel sorry for these people who refuse to see the great sacrifices being made by the soldiers in their effort to save the independence and the territorial integrity of the country. It is abominable that such utterances are being made by people who call themselves Sri Lankans". She said "Ninety percent of the people of this country are with you. They value your bravery. They also feel indebted to you all for the supreme sacrifices you all are making in the war front to save your motherland". The President said that the presentation of gallantry awards was hardly a matching reward for the sacrifices the soldiers are making for their country with sweat and blood in this war with the brutal LTTE. Security personnel missing at sea Nine security forces personnel are reported missing after an old British built armoured car aboard the vessel ‘Lanka Muditha’ broke its moorings,crashed through the railings and fell into the ocean last Saturday, security sources said. The vessel was on a run from Trincomalee to Kankesanthurai when the mishap took place off Mullaithivu coast due to turbulent weather conditions, these sources said. The fate of the nine sailors is still unknown. The seas were choppy due to stormy weather conditions, the sources said. (NP) College hall brawl ends in past pupil's death A past pupil of a leading school just outside Colombo died yesterday at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila after being stabbed in the groin on Saturday night. The victim was a son of a vicar. Police said that the incident occurred at the College Hall where a Hindu religious ceremony was in progress. A heated argument ensued between two parties and resulted in one person being stabbed in the groin. The incident had occurred around 8.15 p.m. The injured person was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery. Hospital sources said the victim had a blood transfusion as he was bleeding profusely. Around 1 p.m. yesterday the hospital sources said that the condition of the patient worsened and around 3 p.m. he passed away. Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome was the cause of death recorded by the Medical Examiner. Mt. Lavinia police is continuing investigations. (SB) Two
Europeans remanded Two European tourists who allegedly took nude photographs of themselves were arrested by Polonnaruwa police yesterday at the ancient citadel in Polonnaruwa, police said. One of them had lowered his trouser while the woman was focusing the camera, to take the photograph. A Lankan professor who was visiting the ruin site had noticed the incident and had informed authorities. When police took them into custody they had already destroyed their film in the camera, sources said. They were remanded by the Additional Magistrate Priyantha Silva, till today (12). Further investigations are conducted by Sergeant Wilbert 2679 under the directives of IP Ashoka Perera OIC Crimes, Polonnaruwa. One million US dollar currency 'deal' —
stolen money from Gulf? A Sri Lankan born woman who attempted to sell a stolen one million US Dollar currency note (equivalent to Rs. 67.5 million in Sri Lankan currency) was arrested by a special team from Chilaw last Friday. On a tip-off received by S.S.P. Gamini Silva that the woman was attempting to sell US dollar note, he detailed a team of policemen posing off as millionaire businessmen to contact her and arrest her under the pretext of working out a 'deal'. The disguised policemen had contacted the woman and broker working for her and transacted with her to purchase the one million US dollar currency note, police said. To pay cash the woman and her broker were asked to come to a bank. She agreed and the duo had come to the bank in her own intercooler jeep along with the disguised policemen. On the way to the bank another team of policemen at a checkpoint awaiting them took the suspect female and her broker into custody, police said. Police investigations had revealed that the woman had been born in Sri Lanka. About 18 years back she had left for India and had got married to an Indian and was the mother of three children. In 988 she had left for the Middle East and had been employed as a housemaid in the residence of an American millionaire in Kuwait. When the Gulf war broke out she is alleged to have stolen the million dollar note and the relevant certificate and fled to India, police said. Part of armed gang held after heist Within two hours of an armed heist involving over Rs. 3 lakhs, police arrested some members of the gang at Maggona in Payagala last Saturday. The armed men had held up a jewellery shop and robbed the gold after ransacking it. To avoid capture, they had made their escape in different directions with the intention of regrouping later to share the spoils, police said. Three gang members who were heading towards Thebuwana in a van were apprehended by police who were on alert following the robbery. Another fugitive was arrested while travelling in a Colombo-bound private bus. A hand grenade was found in his possession, according to police. Two other members of the gang are still at large. The loot is in the possession of the duo who are armed with a revolver, police said. The four suspects taken into police custody are residents of the Ratmalana and Nagoda areas. Police investigations are in progress. Over 100 factory girls hospitalised after
inhaling poisonous gas One hundred and nineteen female employees of a garment factory at Meda-Galathura, Kiriella were hospitalised last Saturday after inhaling a poisonous gas. They were admitted to Kiriella base hospital. The symptoms these employees experienced after inhaling the poisonous gas were burning sensation in the throat, benumbing of the limbs and some of them had even fainted. Police and Kiriella DMO, P. H. Kalupahana have so far not been able to ascertain the nature or source of this poisonous gas. Police have asked the management of the factory to temporarily close it until further notice. |
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