Army retrieves the biggest arms cache in recent history- Vakarai

Victorious SL Army troops engaged in clearing operations in Vakarai and its environs yesterday, uncovered their largest cache of arms and ammunitions in recent history (Tuesday the 23rd of January).
This includes two 152mm heavy artillery guns, two 122mm recoilless artillery guns, 360 T-56 sub machine guns, 25 claymore mines, two 30mm canons, two 12.7mm machine guns and many more.
It is reliably understood that the heavy guns captured by the security forces were to be those guns that had been used by the LTTE terrorists to pound on civilian settlements in Somapura and Mahindapura areas.
Defence sources in the East say that the area is now completely out of danger from artillery fire since all the heavy guns of the LTTE are now being silenced. Government officials also confirmed that the displaced civilians who presently living in welfare camps in Kantale have agreed to return their villages.
"Over 3,000 displaced civilians are still in Kantale and resettlement will be facilitated from today (Wednesday the 24th of January) onwards with assistance of the security forces, Kantale Divisional Secretary S. Darmasena told defence.lk
Meanwhile, Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe yesterday revealed that the Army engineers had restored the Panichchankerni Bridge.
Speaking at the media briefing at the MCNS in Colombo Brigadier said, "The Engineering brigade of the Sri Lanka Army has repaired the Panichchankerni Bridge, damaged by the fleeing LTTE cadres last week. Restoration of the bridge is considered as a strategic move, as it connects the A-15 road, a main highway linking the major cities of the Eastern province"
Speaking further Brigadier Samarasinghe said that the Army engineers are now being engaged in mine clearing operations in newly captured areas to facilitate swift resettlement of civilians.
" It will also help the security forces to further their humanitarian assistance to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs), under a post liberation scenario. Damage caused to the bridge deprived of food and other essential supplies for the destitute and vulnerable Tamil civilians trapped in the LTTE controlled areas of Vakarai, before the security forces gained control" Brigadier Samarasinghe added.
Latest reports from East indicate that the Army has recovered 111 Anti Personnel mines during yesterday from villages of Sirimangalapura, and Muthtuwaran. The troops has also found a canter vehicle left behind by the fleeing terrorists during the clearing operations last evening, the reports further said
Meanwhile, the intelligence sources said that a senior LTTE intelligence wing leader had been found among the LTTE bodies recovered on Sunday the 21st of January.
The slain LTTE cadre was positively identified as "Thuwaharan", the LTTE intelligence wing leader for Vakarai area. Thuwaharan was also the person in charge of questioning and torturing those captured by the LTTE.
The security forces are further consolidating their defences in Vakarai, Kadiraveli and Verugal areas. The list of weapons captured from the LTTE is as follows:List of weapons and ammunition recoveries in Vakarai
01.
152 mm Artillery Guns
- 0202. Pieces of 122 mm Artillery guns (Damaged) - 02 03.
Suicide Jackets- 02 04. T-56 Weapon -360 05. T-56 Magazine -210 06. T-56 Ammo Box - 37 07. TNT explosives - 50 Kg 08. Anti Personnel Mine (APM) -867 09. Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher (RPG) - 07 10. RPG Bombs (HE) - 14 11. RPG Bombs - 60 12. Disposable RPG - 03 13. 60 mm Mortar Bombs - 93 14. Claymore - 25 15. Anti Tank Mine - 03 16. 40mm Grenade Launcher - 01 17. Hand Grenades - 65 18. Cannon Weapon - 02 19. T-81 Rifle - 02 20. Detonators - 34 21. Light Machine Gun - 02 22. Multi Purpose Machine Gun -01 23. 120 mm Mortar - 01 24. 120 mm Mortar Box - 37 25. 12.7 mm Weapon - 02 26. 12.7 mm Drums - 05 27. 30 mm Weapon - 02 28. 30 mm Ammunition - 57 29. 12.7 mm Ammo Links - 06 30. 9 mm Pistol -01 31. Oxygen Tank - 01 32. I'com Sets - 04 33. Sniper Weapon Parts - 03 34 OBM Machine (Horse Power 200) - 02 35. Gun Carriers - 01 36. LMG Links - 21 37. Code Sheet - 01 38. MPMG Links - 18 39. Telescope Sight - 01 40. Remote Controller - 05 41. Bangalore Torpedo - 02

LTTE strongholds in East tumble as security forces advance

Strategic fortifications of LTTE terrorists at Ichchalampaththu and Uppural, fell as SL forces advanced responding to the volume of LTTE artillery and mortar barrages in the East.
Seven LTTE terrorist bodies were recovered, while over two dozens were believed wounded, said a military official.
The military advance was combined with precision air raid at identified terrorist targets. The air strikes are believed to have destroyed three LTTE heavy gun locations in Verugal. Earlier, SL security forces sent stark warnings to terrorist cadres in the east to surrender, stating that those who surrendered would be benefited with luxuries of foreign employment, rehabilitation and vocational training secessions.
"We are not at war, but we are in a very high volume of crisis, and we have an intention to put an end to the terrorist issue along the eastern boundary affecting innocent Tamil civilians", declared a defence official.
"Hopefully, the majority Tamils have realised the folly of LTTE democracy served through guns and bullets. The dictatorship of its leader is the most responsible for atrocities perpetrated by the terrorist outfit', he further added.
According to information received security forces are consolidating over the captured areas.
Meanwhile, defence reports stated that an Army officer succumbed to injuries while 19 others were wounded.

New venue to replace Sri Lanka's Asgiriya stadium

Jan 15, 2007 (AFP) - The historic Asgiriya stadium in Sri Lanka's hill resort of Kandy is to be replaced by a brand new venue in the same area, a senior cricket official said on Monday.



Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) secretary K. Mathivanan said an agreement would be signed next week with the island's foreign investment regulator to develop a stadium at Pallekele, near Kandy.

The stadium would be ready by 2011, when Sri Lanka co-hosted the World Cup with South Asian neighbours India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Mathivanan told AFP.

The SLC would invest money and the work was expected to start after the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, he said. The cost of the project is still unknown.

"We will try and play first class cricket on the ground as soon as it is ready to host matches," Mathivanan said. "A pitch, outfield and other infrastructure needs to be constructed."

The objective of developing a new stadium at Pallekele was to drop the Asgiriya as an international venue, he said.


Asgiriya, a regular Test centre since 1983, is widely acclaimed as one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the world. It has hosted 19 international Test matches so far.

LTTE's "Stanley Base'' falls to the elite cops- Ampara

    The Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel captured a huge terrorist camp named "Stanley Base" located in Kangikadaichi Aru in Ampara this afternoon (Monday the 8th of September).
    The STF sources said the terrorists having failed to withstand the STF's retaliatory thrust, deserted the camp leaving most of their belongings. The marching STF personnel entered into the " Stanley" base's parameters around 2.p.m and presently consolidating their defences in the area.
    During the search carried out in the Terror camp, the STF personnel recovered a Canter truck loaded with ammunition, a water bawser donated by the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 4 motor cycles, a 50kv and a 25kv Generators, and few satellite antennas.
    A fully equipped hospital believed to be funded by a reputed INGO was also discovered by the STF personnel in the captured terror base located deep inside the thick jungle of Kangikadaichi Aru. The STF sources said they were amused by the facilities provided by the particular INGO to a hospital where no civilian would expected to have received medical treatments.
    A large haul of arms and ammunition, a repeater rifle, a rifle and a large number of anti-personnel mines were also among the recovered items.
    The STF sources further revealed that they had no option than to retaliate to the LTTE's ever increasing attacks that has recently come to an alarming level. The captured camp was of a strategic importance to the LTTE terrorists where they used to fire mortar and artillery to the security forces camps in the Akkaraipaththuwa, Thirukkovil and Poththuvil areas.
     Further, the camp has been used to hoard abducted children from various areas in the Eastern province and to train them to be suicide bombers.Two sub camps, an Intelligence cell, a large warehouse filled with dry rations that had been robbed from aid convoys, a circuit bungalow were also found in the area.The STF troops are still continuing their search further into the jungle to ensure that the people in the Southern part of the Eastern Province will be free from LTTE threats for good.
     Three STF soldiers suffered injuries during the confrontation and were rushed to the General hospital Ampara.

 

More than 15 feared killed and 40 injured in Bus bomb explosion - Ambalangoda.

15 civilians are feared dead due to an explosion triggered inside a Matara bound private bus from Colombo bearing no - HZ 1709, at Seenigama, near the Kahawa junction ,16 miles North West of Galle, on 06th January 2007, at around 02.35p.m.
Police sources suspect the explosion to be a suicidal attack, more likely which holds the trade mark of the most treacherous LTTE terrorist organization. The Ambalangoda Police officials said that. remains of two bodies suspected to be LTTE female suicide bombers were recovered scattered at the scene.
The Ambalangoda Police further said that 10 bodies were immediately transferred to the General hospital at Balapitiya and another dozen were admitted. Balapitiya hospital officials said that seven males and three females were among the dead.
The Police sources further said that more than 40 civilians are feared seriously injured due to the explosion.
Meanwhile, Karapitiya hospital sources confirmed that the casualty figures admitted have risen to twenty(20). Eight of the injured are said to undergo immediate operations as their medical status were feared serious.
The traffic along the Galle - Colombo (A-2), is being diverted and the commuters are advised to use alternative routes.
The tragedy at Kahawa junction - Ambalangoda, is the consecutive explosion alleged triggered off by LTTE terrorist within 24 hours targeting civilians transportation. The LTTE suicidal attempts targeting civilians transportation has become a custom of the terrorist outfit to repulse the military thrust against its escalation of violence in the North and East.
On 15th June, 2006 the terrorists outfit blew a public bus transporting civilians at Kebithigollewa- Anuradhapura, killing at least 64 people including 15 children.

Scotland Yard probe on Raviraj killing begins

The much awaited Scotland Yard probe into the killing of TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj begins today following the arrival last afternoon of a team of experts.
Local officials involved with the investigations said the Scotland Yard team comprises a ballistics expert, forensic science expert and three specialised investigators.
According to one British official the schedule of the Scotland Yard team would not be disclosed to the media owing to its sensitivity.
Airport authorities were also told to remain tight lipped and not divulge details of the team's arrival.
However a senior police officer told the Daily Mirror the team was scheduled to meet Police Chief Victor Perera this morning and later would go to CID headquarters, where the investigators would be given a full briefing on the case.
The team visited the British High Commission yesterday. A senior CID officer is to accompany the team on field work whilst translators would also be provided.
Officials said arrangements had already been made to meet the requirements of the foreign detectives during their stay in Sri Lanka.
The Government is expected to spend an estimated Rs.3 million for the airfare of the team as well as for the transport of the high-tech equipment used for the investigations.
The team is scheduled to remain in the country for at least two weeks.
The TNA MP was shot dead in Narahenpita by unknown gunmen last November while he was in the driver's seat of his vehicle. Mr. Raviraj's bodyguard who was seated in the back seat of the vehicle was also killed in the shooting. A T-56 rifle and bullets used in the killing were found in a bag at the site of the shooting and are expected to be of vital importance to the investigation. According to initial investigations, two gunmen on a motorbike were believed to have carried out the assassination at close range before fleeing the area. There were also reports of a three-wheeler being used as a decoy getaway vehicle to mislead any pursuers and investigators. This is the second time a Scotland Yard team is involved in investigating a local case, the first being the investigation into the death of DUNF Leader Lalith Athulathmudali.

IC urged to decline entertaining LTTE bogus reports