Dual reasons for Tiger attempt on envoy's life

Tigers defeated in North-East

Lanka-Pakistan have special defence co-operation

Rafik Jalaldeen

COLOMBO: The LTTE attempt to assassinate Pakistan High Commissioner Bashir Wali Mohmand is a plain instance of anger and desperation harboured by the Tigers against the Pakistani Government for its military assistance to the Sri Lankan Government to defeat terrorism, Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

"The LTTE terrorists targeted the Pakistan High Commissioner for dual reasons.

"The first reason is the LTTE terrorists are desperate as they have been defeated in the North and East.

They are targeting people in Colombo to overcome their desperation. The second reason is that the Sri Lankan and Pakistan Governments have a special defence co-operation. Therefore, there is a defence connection between the two countries," Rambukwella told a media briefing at the Media Centre for National Security.

The Pakistan High Commissioner narrowly survived an assassination bid by LTTE terrorists at Kollupitya on Monday. Seven persons including four army commandos in the security detail of the High Commissioner were killed and dozen injured in the incident.

"The High Commissioner informed me that he managed to escape the attempt on his life chiefly due to the security escort vehicle," Rambukwella said.

It has also been announced that the Pakistan Government will assist the Sri Lanka Government by providing it with military equipment and this might have angered the LTTE terrorists, Rambukwella said.He said the Mavilaru anicut attack by the LTTE was a declaration of war.

"In Jaffna, the Forward Defence Line was attacked strategically by LTTE cadres several times. Security Forces successfully repulsed all these attacks and defeated terrorists in Mandaithivu, Kayts and Jaffna," the Minister said.

"We have repulsed the attacks and are in full control of the area," Rambukwella said. The fight in Muhamalai which commenced on August 14 is continuing.

The Forces are moving forward successfully, he added. Rambukwella strongly denied charges in the pro - LTTE Tamil Net that the Air Force had bombed an orphanage school.

"It was an LTTE training camp. The website noted different times of bombing and described the camp in different ways. At the beginning it was called a training school, then a first aid training camp and finally it was called an orphanage," he said.

"The LTTE has recruited over 3,000 child soldiers according to the UNICEF report. We are asking where these children are ? It's not a question of whether they are child soldiers.

If they are thrown into combat the Forces have to defend themselves from attacks by the child soldiers.

All these abducted children are receiving training at these training camps and sent to the battle field," the Minister said.

"We also have very strong and clear evidence from Kilinochchi that there is no such orphanage school in this area," he added.