Navy recovers weapons haul

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Naval troops attached to the Point Pedro Naval Detachment in the Northern Naval Area recovered a haul of C 4 explosives and suicide jackets concealed in the bottom of a dinghy on Thursday while Army troops and de-mining groups engaged in clearing and search operations in the North found a consignment weapons including 103 antipersonnel mines on the same day.

Navy spokesman Captain Athula Senarath told the Daily News that the recovery was made as a result of continuous checks conducted by Naval troops on Fibre Glass Dinghys (FGDs) used by IDPs to come to Government controlled areas in haste during the humanitarian operations.

He said the FGD was thoroughly searched due to its excessive weight and 3 kg C 4 in 13 Packs, 5 complete suicide jackets, 5 delay timer switches, 5 remote control units, 2 detonating cord coils, one T-56 weapon, one T 56 magazine, 260 ammunition of 7.62 x 39 mm type and 15 9v batteries were found in its false double bottom.

Army sources said the troops in their search operations conducted in areas of Passiyur, Super Madam, Periyathampanai, Iranamadu, Mulaikoduttavil, Vattapalai, and Puthukudiyiruppu recovered four 60 mm mortar bombs, two anti personnel mines, two hand grenades, one 120 mm mortar bomb, twenty one 81 mm Para bombs. Meanwhile, de-mining groups found one hundred and one anti personnel mines, three RPG bombs, two 60 mm mortar bombs, one 40 mm bomb, one 81 mm mortar bomb and one detonator on the same day from Periyathampanai, Sinnapandivirichchan, Palampiddi, Nochchikulam, Chettiyarmakan, Kattaiadampan and Iranamadu areas.