“Sri Lankan Navy won’t fire on Indian fishermen”

Sri Lanka has assured India that there will be no firing by the Sri Lankan Navy on Indian fishermen hereafter, M.K. Narayanan, National Security Adviser, said on Monday.

In the event of arrest of the fishermen, they would be released in the “shortest possible time.” They would be given “humanitarian treatment as far as possible,” and there would be no “maltreatment” of the Indian fishermen, Mr. Narayanan told journalists, emerging from a 40-minute-long meeting with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and senior officials of the State government at the Secretariat.

Describing as “positive understanding” the outcome of discussions at bilateral meetings between India and Sri Lanka early this month prior to the summit of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation, Mr. Narayanan said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his meeting with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa went into great detail on each of the points raised by the Chief Minister in his letter to Dr. Singh and personal discussions with him.

On the basis of the discussions, a “tentative understanding” was reached, he said.

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http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/26/stories/2008082650050100.htm

Spurt of arrests indicates LTTE's increasing dependence on Indian sources for war material

The sudden spurt in the arrests of Tamil Tigers and their Indian associates in Tamil Nadu indicates the growing dependence of the Sri Lankan group on India to source its war materials, foreign media reported quoting Indian official sources.

It is a widely know fact that the LTTE terrorists appear to have stepped up efforts to procure a variety of goods and equipment from Tamil Nadu.

"The Economic Times" reveals that since July 1, seven Indian and Sri Lankan Tamils each have been taken into custody in Tamil Nadu. Of the Sri Lankans, four were from the LTTE, including a senior leader of the Sea Tigers known as Thambi Anna.

Thambi Anna is described as one of the most senior LTTE operatives ever to be caught in Tamil Nadu.

Quoting the Indian Home Ministry the newspaper said that both the Intelligence Bureau and the Tamil Nadu police were involved in making some of the arrests, including that of Thambi Anna.

The seven Indians taken into custody are those who decided to assist the Tigers for monetary benefits. None of them appeared to be ideologically committed to the LTTE cause, it is reported.

The Indo-Asian News Service, quoting officials, said that from the equipment seized from the arrested men, it looked as if the Tigers might be changing their communication mode to weed out electronic infiltration by Colombo.

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http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6669&Itemid=44

Arrested LTTE man came for recruitment

Thambi Anna alias Thambi Ilamkathir alias Daniel (46), a key Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) procurement agent who was picked up in Chennai by the Q Branch police on Wednesday, had come to recruit more suppliers for his network, police said on Thursday.

According to police sources, Thambi Anna was a close associate of Soosai, the head of 'Sea Tigers' , the LTTE's naval arm and a top ranking guerrilla leader. "Thambi Anna was appointed chief of a procurement module in 2006 by Soosai. He has been coordinating all major smuggling operations between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka since then," a senior police official said.

Significantly, Thambi had so far managed to run the show for the LTTE without ever visiting Tamil Nadu. He was arrested on what is believed to be his first visit to the state. He made the trip he was desperate to keep the supply lines alive in the wake of a crackdown by the state police and interdiction at sea by the island's navy, the official said.

"We are intercepting their consignments almost every day. This has significantly reduced the LTTE's supplies. As they can't afford to let this situation continue, there may have been pressure on him to boost the supply mechanism ," another official said.


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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/

Tigers shift smuggling base from TN to Kerala

Tamil Nadu Police Chief K. P. Jain was quoted by the Indian Express (IE) yesterday as having said that the LTTE had shifted its smuggling base from Tamil Nadu to Kerala due to strict vigilance along the Tamil Nadu coast and continuous monitoring of LTTE sympathisers in the State.

Jain, the IE said, had pointed to the arrest of a sea tiger, Daniel alias Tambianna of Kilinochchi, who had used Kochi and Tiruvananthapuram coast for building their boats.

The IE report said:

Recalling that police seized a boat built by the LTTE at Munambam near Kochi for smuggling, a senior police officer told The Indian Express that the Tigers used Kochi and Tiruvananthapuram coasts for building their boats.

The two states are not engaged in any joint operations to curb LTTE activities, the senior police officer said adding that the Tigers used Maldives as well due to its proximity to North Sri Lanka.

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http://www.island.lk/2008/08/02/news23.html

Arrested LTTE operative wanted in various cases

The arrest of the chief of LTTE procurement module is being regarded by the Tamil Nadu police as a breakthrough of sorts as he was wanted in various cases of smuggling arms and other materials to Sri Lanka.

Thambianna alias Daniel (46), who clandestinely landed in Rameswaram by a ferry from Sri Lanka and came to Chennai later, was trailed by the police for a month.

Intelligence IG Jaffer Sait told reporters here that police did so to crack his contacts before arresting him.

"Most of LTTE cadre arrested in the state have been working under his control and he was trying to smuggle petrol this time. He was wanted in connection with smuggling of explosives, swimming and communication equipment among others and was a member of the Sea Tigers," Sait said.

He could not send the consignments from Ramanathapuram and was planning alternative routes through Tanjavur and Pudukottai.

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http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/004200808010325.htm

4 Sri Lankans arrested, 10 GPS equipment seized -Tamil Nadu

A day after the seizure of satellite phones and other materials at Chinna Erwadi, the police on Tuesday arrested four Sri Lankans, including a hardcore Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militant, and seized 10 Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment and a consignment of other items.

The consignment included 3,360 batteries, a set top box, 11 life jackets, sample pieces of uniform cloth, 10 multi-tester meters, a generator and pistol cover, the police said.

There was also a compact disc, which contained a speech delivered by Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko at a conference held in Oslo, Norway. The consignment was meant to be delivered at Mullaitheevu.

Based on a tip-off, a Special Branch police party led by Sub-Inspector G. Manivannan intercepted a van coming from Tiruchi at Uppur, a seaside hamlet near Thondi.

Those arrested were identified as Vijayaneethan alias Naveen (26), son of Sivasekaran of Trincomalee; Rakshanandan (21), son of Sivakumar of Wanni; Ramanan (31), son of Gunaseelan of Valvettithurai; and Sivaraman (23), van driver-cum-owner. Except Naveen, the others were living in a refugee camp in Tiruchi.

Read more,
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/31/stories/2008073155680700.htm

Tamil Nadu police break supply chain of LTTE

CHENNAI: The Q Branch of the Tamil Nadu police on Tuesday busted a major LTTE procurement network, seizing five imported Yamaha outboard motors with a 40-horse-power capacity each.

In connection with the seizures, three persons, including a Sri Lankan from Manalmelkudi in Pudukottai, were taken into custody.

The Q Branch team nabbed Kumargurubaran (28), a resident of Chennai, Ramesh (37), hailing from Ramanathapuram, and Manamohan (28) from Pesalai, Sri Lanka, from near the Kattumanadi bus stop near Manalmelkudi on Tuesday. The motors were meant to be transported to Sri Lanka for the LTTE in a boat kept ready by Ramesh.

"The gang had transported the motors from Chennai to Pudukkottai and was planning to take them by sea to Sri Lanka. We are yet to ascertain whose name the import consignment had been booked under and who collected it from the Chennai Port. There are more persons involved in the procurement of the motors and the investigation is on to find them," a senior police official told The Times of India.

Police said Manamohan was the key player in this procurement network, co-ordinating the operation. "He arranged for the payment and co-ordinated the procurement. The seized motors are worth around Rs. 7 lakh in the market," the official said.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/

Mysterious presence of Indian in Tiger territory

A chance detection of a boat trying to move through an SLN cordon now in place in the Gulf of Mannar has revealed the presence of some Indians in the LTTE-held area in the Vanni.

An Indian holding passport (ETN/059/001/355/2001) was among seven persons attempting to cross the Indo-Lanka maritime boundary on Wednesday. Selvam Sudesh Kanan has claimed that he along with three other Indians arrived in the LTTE held area in the Vanni on January 10, 2003.

His boat would most probably have escaped if a special naval cordon had not been in place to discourage the Tamil Nadu fishing fleet from poaching in Sri Lankan waters. The SLN has placed the cordon following the detention of nearly 290 Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters on July 2, which triggered protests in the Tamil Nadu.

After initial questioning in Mannar, the SLN had moved the Indian overland to Colombo to be handed over to the Indian High Commission.

Although the government has accepted Selvam’s claim that they were detained by the LTTE used as forced labour, the mystery surrounds the failure on the part of their families to raise the issue with the Sri Lankan mission in Chennai. The Tamil Nadu media, the Indian High Commission or the Norwegian-led truce monitoring mission deployed in the Northern and Eastern Province had not raised the issue, the sources said.

Sources pointed out that although Selvam had a valid Indian passport, he hadn’t entered Sri Lanka through the Bandaranaike International airport. "The bottom line is that he had entered the Vanni mainland clandestinely," an official said.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/07/18/news14.html
Photo,
MCNS

Sri Lanka Navy denies the shooting of two fishermen from Nagapattinam

Sri Lanka Navy has denied of any involvement in the killing of two fishermen - Vasakan and Narayanasamy and seriously injuring Murali from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu.

Reports revealed that those three fishermen from Nagapattinam were out on a boat in the sea on Sunday and was shot. Indian reports alleged that Indian fishermen were killed by Sri Lanka Navy.

When Asian Tribune contacted Sri Lanka Navy, sources in the Navy said that "Navy was nowhere in the Gulf of Mannar Sea yesterday, as it was a Sunday and was monitoring suspicious boat movements within Sri Lanka waters through radar located in their base in Talaimannar."

Sources further revealed that it was crystal clear that Sea Tigers of the LTTE were behind the killing of the two innocent Indian fishermen and injuring the third.

Sri Lanka Navy sources told Asian Tribune that Navy used to apprehend Indian Fishermen only those who strays into Sri Lankan territorial waters and poach in those sea area.

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http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/12204

Weakened Sri Lankan rebels seeking Indian support

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels are seeking the support of neighboring South Indian state of Tamil Nadu for survival in the face of the present military onslaught, the state radio announced here Saturday.

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation said in its morning news bulletin that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) now hit by military campaign in the north is engaged in an attempt to drag Tamil Nadu to intervene on their behalf in order to see an end to military operations.

Tamil Nadu is home to some 65 million Tamils with close connections to the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan government in the formative years of the LTTE's armed campaign in the early 1980s slammed India for harboring LTTE members and providing them training in Tamil Nadu.

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/12/content_8533615.htm

State government to oppose Nalini’s premature release

The Tamil Nadu government will oppose the premature release of Nalini, a life convict in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the government submitted before the Madras High Court on Friday.

In its counter to a petition filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, who sought to implead himself in the writ petition filed by Nalini seeking premature release, the government submitted that it was not necessary for Dr.Swamy to implead himself as a party in the case.

After hearing arguments, Justice S.Nagamuthu reserved orders on Dr. Swamy’s petition. In the counter, the Joint Secretary, Home, A. Mani, submitted that the government had already rejected the premature release of Nalini based on the merits of the case. It would file a counter affidavit opposing such a release. Dr.Swamy’s apprehension that the Central and State Governments may collude with the life convict for the sake of her release was absolutely baseless and imaginary. Priyanka, daughter of Rajiv Gandhi, met Nalini in prison on March 19, but the meeting had nothing to do with the premature release of the convict.

As regards the allegation that the parties of the ruling coalition such as the DMK, PMK and Dalit Panthers were close to the LTTE, a banned terrorist organisation, and that the DMK government was dismissed in 1991 for supporting LTTE, the counter said that it was only a surmise to contend that the ruling party and its allies were supporting the LTTE. The government never had any soft corner for any act of terrorism.

Read more,
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071253650400.htm

Rebels Make Desperate Appeal To The Homeland

Recent losses have resulted in the LTTE openly appealing to the government of Tamil Nadu (the south Indian state that is the homeland of Tamils, and has a population of over 62 million) for help in their war. Despite the popularity of the LTTE cause (more autonomy and recognition of their Tamil culture in Sri Lanka) in Tamil Nadu, the LTTE terror tactics have backfired. The Tamil Nadu government has turned on the LTTE over the last decade, and this LTTE appeal will fail.

The fighting continues to go against the LTTE. The government reports that over 4,800 LTTE fighters have died so far this year, versus nearly 440 soldiers. The LTTE are using their dwindling cadre (hard core members) to insure that poorly trained (and motivated) conscripts (often teenagers) fight to the death, or at least don't run away as soon as the army opens fire.

Meanwhile, army long range patrols inside LTTE territory report declining morale among the civilian population, and a dwindling supply of weapons and ammunition (that is, little target practice for new recruits, which is a major factor in the low army casualties.) Army commanders are now openly talking of crushing the LTTE by the end of the year.

Read more,
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/srilank/articles/20080709.aspx

LTTE: Reaching Across the Strait

The international pressure which has clogged the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) attempt to replenish its depleted military equipments has undermined the rebel’s capacities to thwart the military offensive by the Sri Lankan Government troops. With their capacities progressively diminished, the LTTE has suffered severe losses. These developments are now impacting on India’s southern States, especially Tamil Nadu, as the LTTE attempts to source its war materials from these Indian Sates.

According to reports emanating from various sources, regular seizures of huge quantities of explosives and other war like materials meant for the LTTE have occurred in Tamil Nadu since the resumption of the war in Sri Lanka in January 2006. The recoveries also include large volumes of ball bearings that are used as shrapnel (significantly, the sale of ballbearings is restricted and closely monitored in Sri Lanka), aluminium bars, both ordinary and electronic detonators, boat building equipment, walkie-talkies, batteries and petroleum Chemicals, including sulphuric acid, high-speed outboard engines for boats, cycle spares, tyres for cycles and motorcycles, power generators, medical supplies and surgical equipment have also been recovered in transit or in caches awaiting transportation.

Most of these recoveries have been reported from the coastal District of Ramnad, which overlooks the Mannar District in Sri Lanka. Police sources also disclose that the LTTE has attempted to build a huge vessel in Kerala and tried to procure mortars from Tamil Nadu.

Read the full article here,
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/index.htm

DMK Govt failed to strengthen coastal security: Jaya

Accusing the DMK government of failing to strengthen coastal security, opposition AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, quoting the Centre, today said the country faced a threat from terror outfits like LTTE and Al-Qaeda through the Tamil Nadu coast.

In a statement here, she said a senior official of the Union Home Ministry and National Security Advisor have expressed apprehensions that terrorist outfits might carry out attacks through Tamil Nadu sea coast and wanted the State Government to immediately strengthen its coastal security.

She said the Group of Ministers on Reforming the National Security System, in 2005, had sanctioned for a Coastal Security Scheme to strengthen coastal security in nine coastal states, including Tamil Nadu and four Union territories.

Under the scheme, the Centre would provide Rs 400 crore as non-recurring expenditure and Rs 151 crore as recurring expenditure for setting up coastal police stations and for purchasing vehicles and boats.

While all the other states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, had implemented the scheme, Tamil Nadu, which was expected to set up 12 coastal police stations, did not set up even one, she alleged.

Extracted from,
http://www.uniindia.com/unilive%5Cunisite.nsf

LTTE wants India's help to stop military drive

Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, engaged in fierce gun-battles with security forces in the island nation's embattled north, want India to intervene to halt the clashes between the warring sides, a leading daily here has claimed.

"As the LTTE is currently facing a series of setbacks in the (rebel stronghold of) Wanni warfront with senior LTTE military leaders killed by the security forces, the LTTE is once again seeking India's help to stop the ongoing military operations," the Daily Mirror said.

Besides, the paper claimed, "the Tigers' Political wing had initiated a campaign to pressurise the Indian central government to take action in this regard." "In order to achieve this goal the LTTE is using several channels for the purpose and mainly the pro-LTTE politicians in Tamil Nadu," the report said, adding the pro-rebel MDMK leader Vaiko had made several statements to this effect.

"Knowing that the Indian government can put pressure on the Sri Lankan government, it is learnt that the Tigers are expecting to use the opportunity to come into a Ceasefire Agreement," the paper said in an editorial yesterday.

The daily recalled that the LTTE's 'Peace Secretary' S Pulidevan had recently said the rebels would wait for the Norwegian facilitators to be granted access to Kilinochchi to further discuss issues relating to negotiations.

Meanwhile, security forces killed at least 13 guerrillas in separate attacks in the north and bombed a rebel base, the military said yesterday.

Air force fighter jets pounded a rebel base in Pooneryn late on Friday, hours after the guerrillas set off bombs in the southern suburb of Colombo and central district of Kandy, the defence ministry said.

Read more,
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=40148

5 fishermen questioned for smuggling contraband to LTTE- Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu)

At least five of the 24 fishermen handed over to Indian Coast Guard officials by the Sri Lankan Navy are being interrogated for allegedly smuggling contraband to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), police said Wednesday.

The five fishermen belong to three inland districts of Tamil Nadu. The Indian fishermen had been jailed in Sri Lanka May 14 following their arrest in Palk Bay by the Sri Lankan Navy, an official press communiqué said.

Sri Lankan officials claimed that the fishermen were supplying contraband to the banned LTTE, a charge denied by the Indian fishermen who alleged wrongdoing by the isle's navy, Indian Navy sources said.

During the last two years, 96 cases have been registered against illegal traffic across the Palk Straits - the narrow expanse of water separating India and Sri Lanka.

Extracted from,
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=68965

5 fishermen questioned for smuggling contraband to LTTE- Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu)

At least five of the 24 fishermen handed over to Indian Coast Guard officials by the Sri Lankan Navy are being interrogated for allegedly smuggling contraband to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), police said Wednesday.

The five fishermen belong to three inland districts of Tamil Nadu. The Indian fishermen had been jailed in Sri Lanka May 14 following their arrest in Palk Bay by the Sri Lankan Navy, an official press communiqué said.

Sri Lankan officials claimed that the fishermen were supplying contraband to the banned LTTE, a charge denied by the Indian fishermen who alleged wrongdoing by the isle's navy, Indian Navy sources said.

During the last two years, 96 cases have been registered against illegal traffic across the Palk Straits - the narrow expanse of water separating India and Sri Lanka.

Extracted from,
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=68965

2 LTTE militants held, explosives seized

The coastal security wing of the Tamil Nadu police has seized explosives shipment meant for the LTTE and arrested two suspected militants off the coast of Rameswaram, 600 km from here (Chennai).

Additional director-general of police (coastal security) Jagan Sheshadri said, “During our operations since last night we came across a boat off the Rameswaram coast in the Palk Bay containing chemicals and detonators. Two suspected militants were arrested”. Rameswaram is the closest point in India to Jaffna, the LTTE stronghold in Sri Lanka.

The state police said following stepping up of vigil in the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar, shipment of arms, explosives and contrabands to the LTTE had been curbed and many boats carrying such materials had been seized.

However, according to intelligence sources, the Tamil Tiger rebels have received at least three shipments of military hardware in the recent months. The arms shipments reached the Tigers despite claims by the Sri Lankan Navy that it had destroyed most of the LTTE's arms ships.

The intense use of heavy artillery shells by the LTTE during the recent conflicts with the Sri Lankan army have raised fresh concern within the island nation’s military establishment about the Tigers’ ability to replenish their dwindling armoury.

Read more,
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080511/main4.htm

Suspected terrorists held, ammunition seized in Tamil Nadu

Increased surveillance of Tamil Nadu's southeastern coast have resulted in the arrest of two suspected terrorists and the seizure early Friday of a boat laden with contraband ammunition bound for northern Sri Lanka, police said.

The consignment recovered off the coast of Rameshwaram, about 600 km from state capital Chennai, consisted of explosives, batteries and camouflage attire.

'The operation began Thursday evening and lasted till well past midnight. To our knowledge, the arrests were made and ammunition seized, a very common occurrence here. However, we did not seek further details,' said a coast guard official.

Officials said this was a consequence of the central government's beefing up of coastal security.

'The centre has created the Coastal Security Scheme (CSS) to stop intrusions and other nefarious activities. Seven marine police stations, built at a cost of Rs.30.92 million in the first phase out of a total outlay of Rs.440.08 million meant for Tamil Nadu, will keep watch over our 12 nautical mile territorial waters,' Additional Director General of Police (CSS) Jagan Sheshadhri told IANS.

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http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20080509/116914.htm

Setusamundram project would facilitate LTTE: Swamy

Former Union minister Dr Subramaniam Swamy today told the Supreme Court that national security would be compromised if Sethusamundram canal project is completed ignoring the warnings given by the navy chief as well as director of coast guards according to whom the canal would facilitate the LTTE's activities in India.

Dr Swamy told a bench comprising chief justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendrtan J M Panchal that the canal project would help LTTE to shift its base to Cochin and they will have easy and direct acess from Zafna, LTTE's strong hold in Srilanka to Cochin in Kerala.

Dr Swamy, responding to the query of Justice R V Raveendran asking, who goes in the middle of the sea to offer pooja at Ramsetu also known as Adam's bridge said " we worship sun but we don't have to go to sun." Taking a dig at Tamil Nadu government he contended, in case of Jallikattu, where bulls were subjected to physical torture, the Tamil Nadu government took the stand that it is a matter of faith and in the present case where the faith of millions of Hindu's across the globe is involved the Centre and Karunanidhi government were not be prepared to accept the truth.

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http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?