CRIMINALS INVENT BETTER FRAUD METHODS TO CLONE CREDIT CARDS AFTER LTTE AGENT IS SENT TO JAIL

After a week, a British criminal court has convicted a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) agent, who is non-Tamil, for cloning 500 credit cards at a gasoline filling station. A special unit of the police raided a factory that produces chips that will be inserted into card reading machines as a mole, better suited for the crime than the pin hole cameras used earlier.

A week ago, Abdul Samad Mohamed Raik was convicted by the criminal court of Leicestershire for helping the LTTE to steal 175,000 British pounds from ATM machines all over the world. Barely a single household on Houghton on the Hill, Leicestershire escaped the Tamil Tiger scam.

Two other Muslim men, Ibrar Hussain and Mohamed Mahmood were arrested when Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime unit of the Metropolitan Police of London raided at Burmingham a “sophisticated counterfeit card factory” as described by the police. Police said so far they do not know whether the two men arrested are connected to a terrorist organization.

In this method, unlike in the earlier method of recording the credit card and pin numbers with a pin hole camera-like device while a customer buys merchandise at a filling station or a shop, the criminals would remove the card reading device, insert a mole inside and replace it at original places.

The police said the devices they install inside the card reading machines are so high-tech that they could transmit the card numbers and the related pin numbers to a mobile phone.

Cards are then cloned and used abroad in countries including USA, Italy, Australia. In most countries, like in Britain, they do not even need numbers to withdraw money using credit or debit cards.

A raid on houses found stolen chip and pin terminals, card account numbers, card readers and counterfeit magnetic strip cards.

The criminals either by getting employment at filling stations, shops, etc. stole card reading machines, installed the “moles” inside and put them back at their original places. The police said they removed the machines by intimidation or bribes to the staff. In other cases, they have posed as engineers and removed the machine for an “upgrade.”

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Snyman to coach Sri Lanka

One of the most successful and respected rugby coaches in South Africa, Dawie Snyman, is on his way to Sri Lanka.

OFM Sport reported on Sunday that Snyman, who coached Western Province and won the Currie Cup five consecutive times from 1982 to 1986, has been named coach of Sri Lanka's Sevens, 15-man and Under-20 rugby teams. Norman Laker will be Snyman's assistant coach.

Snyman is currently the head coach of Paul Roos who were beaten 47-15 by Grey College in a FNB Classic Clash in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Snyman is also a former Springbok Sevens and Lions coach. His first task will be to coach the Sri Lanka Sevens team which will take part in the World Cup qualifying Rugby Sevens in Hong Kong on October 4 and 5.

Extracted from,
http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Rugby/0,,2-9-838_2377614,00.html

LTTE's 'Jeevan Base' falls to Security Forces- Welioya

LTTE terrorists sustained another heavy blow on Saturday (August 16) when troops of the 59 Division operating ahead of the Welioya battlefront in the Eastern Wanni frontier forced into 'Jeevan Base' a large underground training facility of LTTE at around 4.30 p.m.

Jeevan base was located in general area Andankulama, and was known as a major LTTE underground training facility consisting at least 100 bunker defences, security sources said.

Military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk said, that 67 tombs of deceased terrorists were also found at the underground bunker complex which also consisted of 4 main buildings each with an area of 1250sq.m2.

The LTTE bunkers were constructed with thick concrete to sustain heavy artillery fire and aerial bombardments security sources said adding that troops have also come across 4 torture cells used by the LTTE during subsequent search operations. More information will follow.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080817_01
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ITN

Govt ready to shelter civilians fleeing Wanni battle

As fighting intensifies and the security forces move forward in the Wanni to capture the LTTE’s heartland, the government said it was fully geared to provide facilities for an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 civilians trapped in uncleared areas.

Despite food and medicine going into the hands of the LTTE, the government will continue to supply essential food items for civilians in the Wanni.

Government Agents of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar have been instructed by the Senior Advisor MP Basil Rajapaksa and Minister of Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe to prepare an assessment to expedite the humanitarian assistance for those who flee uncleared areas.

Over 12,000 civilians who fled uncleared areas during the past two months have been provided with all basic facilities.

The Wanni Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Jagath Jayasooriya said that arrangements had been made to provide facilities for civilians fleeing uncleared areas and the sites to set up new IDP centres had been already earmarked.

“We have instructed the GAs to inform civilians that the security forces are moving into the Wanni and asked them to abandon the uncleared areas as facilities have been arranged to welcome them”, he said.

He said that there would not be a food crisis in the Wanni as the government sent all essential food items through GAs, NGOs and INGOs.

“The GAs have confirmed that there is no scarcity of food whatsoever in these areas”, he said.

Maj. Gen. Jayasooriya said that civilians who come to government controlled areas would initially be sheltered in schools and religious places while they would be provided all basic facilities and housed in IDP centres to be set up soon. “We have facilities to accommodate all new IDPs”, he said.

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http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/08/17/pol01.asp