LTTE lethal cargo cleared during CFA

Collaborators to be exposed soon:

Ranil Wijayapala

The recent recoveries by the Security Forces have made a startling revelation that the LTTE was in possession of state-of-the-art weaponry and most modern communication equipment that have been transported to uncleared areas after getting clearance from Colombo harbour and Customs, Government Defence Affairs Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

Addressing the weekly security press briefing at the Media Centre for National Security the Minister said that those communication equipment and most modern printing presses have been channeled to Tiger controlled areas after they got clearance from the Colombo harbour.

”Investigations have revealed that some people based in Colombo had worked in connivance with the LTTE to send those most modern equipment to uncleared areas clearing paths for them to transport them from Colombo to uncleared areas,” the Minister added.

He said names of who had worked in connivance with the LTTE to bring in those equipment to the country and transport them to Tiger controlled areas will be divulged to the public very soon.

Minister Rambukwella recalled that there were certain instances where LTTE acquired those state-of-the-art communication equipment with some officials getting involved to clear the path for them to transport them to uncleared areas.

It was after the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement during the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration that the LTTE acquired modern communication equipment and transported them to uncleared areas through the Omanthai Entry-Exit point amidst protests by the Security Forces.

The 58 Division troops captured some hi-tech equipment believed to have been imported to the country during the Ceasefire period after they found a communication centre in Ampalavanpokkanai area in the North West of Puthukudiyiruppu on February 27.

Television transmitting equipment with satellite antennas were found inside this communication centre and later it was found that they were used to transmit TV programs locally and internationally to tarnish the image of the Security Forces internationally.

“Investigations are now on to ascertain who had helped them to acquire them and transport them to the North after getting them released from the Customs,” the Minister added.

Meanwhile, the Government with the support of the diplomatic community has launched investigations to ascertain as to how the LTTE acquired those weaponry including 130 mm artillery guns, light aircraft and other lethal weapons internationally.