Tiger bid to bring remote control planes foiled
Ranil Wijayapala and Rafik Jalaldeen
The Navy yesterday detected a large haul of war like equipment
including a remote controlled aircraft with 5.5 metre long fuselage
having a wing span of three metres after detecting and destroying two
LTTE boats heading towards Vedithalthivu in the early hours of
yesterday.
The Navy believes the LTTE was trying to use more complicated terror
strategies with the deployment of these remote controlled aircraft and a
remote controlled helicopter along with remote control devices that can
be used to detonate claymore mines.
Navy Spokesman Commander D.K.P Dassanayaka told the Daily News that
the two LTTE boats were first detected on the radar screen on board the
IPC’s yesterday around 5.30 a.m. The IPCs intercepted the two Tiger
boats five nautical miles north of Thalaimannar as they were heading
towards Vedithalthivu in the LTTE held areas in the North of Mannar to
unload war like material.
The two Tiger craft were partially destroyed in the ensuing gun
battle between the LTTE and the Navy killing four Tiger cadres on board
the LTTE boats.
The Navy through the intercepted radio communications of the LTTE
confirmed that two self-styled Lieutenant Colonel ‘Manni’ and ‘Punam’
were among the four Tiger cadres killed in the sea battle.
According to sources one-self styled Lt. Col. Valluvan had handled
the operation from the shore. Valluvan was supposed to be the leader
responsible for hijacking the Indian fishing trawler Sri Krishna in
April this year and detaining 12 Indian fishermen under LTTE custody.
Navy confirmed that the two boats reached the Sri Lanka territorial
waters from the International Maritime Boundary Line.
Indian fishing trawler Sri Krishna was later detected in the
Maldivian seas while LTTE was using it for arms smuggling to the LTTE
held areas in the Wanni.
In the subsequent search operation carried out after the sea
confrontation, naval troops recovered a large haul of war equipment
including a remote controlled aircraft with a 5.5 feet long fuselage.
The aircraft was remote-controlled enabling it be deployed on aerial
attacks and surveillance missions.
In addition, a toy-type helicopter with remote controls to be used
for the same purpose was also among the recovered items.
Among the recovered items were 300 litres of hydraulic oil in 15 cans
each containing 20 litres, four ICOM sets, ten GPS sets, four satellite
phones, 100 PCB’s and 45 antennas used for radio sets.
The two boats have been towed to the naval base at Thalaimannar.
“This is the first time in the history of the military operations
against the LTTE, Sri Lanka Navy has been able to capture an aircraft in
the possession of the enemy,” Commander D.K.P. Dassanayaka said adding
that they could avert a major calamity by foiling the LTTE attempt to
smuggle the war like items to uncleared areas. |