Air strikes on a LTTE sea tiger camp

Air force fighter jets carried out an air strike on a LTTE sea tiger camp in 4km North to NAYARU area today(09) around 3.30pm.

Air force confirms that the air strikes are total success.

Extracted from,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=13073

Government troops captured 14 base in Mullaitievu

The security forces have entered Mullaitievu and they have already taken control of the One Four Base Camp where the LTTE leader at one time was hiding. The forces captured the camp yesterday after the sudden attack. The troops are in complete control of the area.

Meanwhile defence sources say the Sri Lanka Air Force attacked a LTTE bunker in the North of Alankumala area in this morning.

Air Force Media Spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara says the attack was launched around 11 AM today using MI 24 fighter craft. Air force pilots have confirmed that the attack was successful.

The Media Centre for National Security says 17 LTTE terrorists were killed in clashes with the security forces in the past 24 hours in Jaffna, Vavuniya and Welioya. The Army has recovered a corpse of terrorist and several military equipments.

Extracted from,
http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/11686

LTTE lists 21,051 as Fallen Heroes

The LTTE in the latest release by its Hero’s department has claimed that the rebels have lost 21,051 carders in the quest for a separate state for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. The 21,051 carders include 16,516 males and 4,535 females. The period cited for the deaths cover 26 years from November 27, 1982 to 31 May 2008. The Tamil Tigers lost their first carder Lt. Shankar on November 27, 1982, widely celebrated by the LTTE as Heroes’ Day.

The death list also include 348 Black Tigers, of which 256 are males 97 females, with 102 being killed in land operations and 251 in sea operations. The release said the Sea Tigers are considered an effective conventional arm of the LTTE, capable of crippling Sri Lanka’s sea operations.

The Hero’s release also lists 279 auxiliary forces members, 47 Police personals who died on operational duties in the death list, and adds that another 490 civil society members who were killed by the government forces or the Para military forces for their commitment for the Tamil Cause have also been listed as Heroes. This includes 19 Mamanithar, a title often conferred posthumously by LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran.

In the first five months of 2008, the Tamil Tigers lost 918 carders- 616 males and 302 females –the Hero’s release said, adding that since the current pace of the war intensified in 2006 the Tigers had lost 1004 carders, of which 745 males and 259 and in 2007 they had lost 1196 carders including 1037 males and 159 females

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http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=134266252

CBI seeking details of LTTE financier

Even after 17 years, the CBI has not left its pursuit to unravel the conspiracy behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and recently an agency team was here seeking banking details of alleged LTTE financier Kumaran Padmanathan.

Diplomatic sources here said that CBI Director Vijay Shanker held talks with his German counterpart and Federal agency Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) chief Jorg Ziercke.

During the talks, they said, the CBI took up the matter of financial transactions of Sri Lankan national Padmanathan or “KP,” who was alleged to be a major gun-runner for the LTTE.

The talks were part of the bilateral exchanges between the two countries to pave the way for signing of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, besides being a return visit by the CBI Director in response to an invitation extended by his German counterpart when he had visited India last year.

Read more,
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/09/stories/2008060959001400.htm

Croatian muscle for Lankan Navy

Sri Lanka and Croatia are exploring the possibility of setting up a joint venture to build ships for the SLN.

Authoritative sources said Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda during a recent visit to Croatia had discussed the proposed venture which would also involve the Colombo Dockyard Limited (CDL).

Karannagoda’s visit had been preceded by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake’s tour of Croatia, the sources said, expressing confidence the project would be a reality and facilitate Sri Lanka’s efforts to enhance the operational capacity and capability of the SLN.

The SLN destroyed eight LTTE floating arsenals in separate operations conducted on the high seas beginning September 2006 to early October 2007. The sources said although the SLN had maximised the use of available assets to weaken the enemy’s ability to bring in fresh consignments of arms and ammunition, the need to acquire additional platforms couldn’t be further delayed, the sources said.

The sources said the SLN needed a range of vessels to strengthen the existing fleet to thwart Sea Tiger operations on the high seas and in the Palk Straits. A bilateral agreement between the two countries to build fighting vessels would be advantageous to Sri Lanka, a senior official said.

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http://www.island.lk/2008/06/09/news1.html

NFF indefinitely postpones inaugural rally

The National Freedom Front has indefinitely postponed its inaugural rally that was scheduled to be held on June 12th at the Ananda Samarakoon Open Theatre in Nugegoda, its General Secretary Nandana Gunatilake said.

The NFF arrived at the decision after advice by defence authorities against holding any public meeting in view of the prevailing security situation, he said.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankaeverything.com/vinews/politics/20080608125052.php

JNP calls for All Party Defence Committee

In the backdrop of increased threats on civilian security, the Jathika Nidhahas Peramuna (JNP) headed by Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa yesterday called for the setting up of an All Party Defence Committee to ensure public safety.

Addressing the media, Weerawansa said the cornered Tigers were now resorting to attacking soft targets such as the vulnerable public transport, to divert attention from the northern front where it was facing an imminent defeat.

The JNP identified three reasons which they claimed was the intention behind the LTTE's series of attacks on civilian targets.

The first was to create a climate of fear among the public and in turn force the Government to agree to another ceasefire agreement to gain some breathing space for the terrorists.

The second was to divert attention and force the security establishment to deploy a large military contingent in the city and suburbs, thus preventing attempts by Security Forces in their march ahead and to open an alternative route to A-9 road.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/09/pol01.asp

IPL is the world's best tournament: Jayasuriya

Hailing the opportunity to open with Sachin Tendulkar at the recently concluded Indian Premier League as "a big achievement", Sri Lanka's dashing opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya has said he had "learnt a lot" from the maestro.

"I found that even after being in the game for a long time I still had a lot to learn by talking to Sachin. His cricket knowledge was amazing," Jayasuriya said in an interview with local private radio Hiru FM.

The 38-year-old left-handed former Sri Lanka captain, who has scored over 10,000 runs in the one-day internationals, played for Mumbai Indians under Sachin's captaincy and hammered the second fastest century (unbeaten), in addition to five half centuries in the IPL 20-20 tournament.

"He (Sachin) is a great human being and an excellent captain. Myself and Dilhara (Fernando) were able to learn a lot from him," Jayasuriya said, describing the IPL series as "the best tournament" he had ever seen by all standards.

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http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?id=14690322

Tigers Prestigious One-Four Base Stormed in Five Places

TROOPS forging ahead in WELIOYA, ETHAWETUNUWEWA while giving a tough fight against the enemy this afternoon (8) mashed part of their fortified One-Four Base from several places and consolidated those positions which were about 500 - 600 metres in front of the present locations.

The fight for supremacy in the area commenced early this morning (8) and went on for about eight hours amidst heavy fire directed from both sides. The fighting claimed lives of six brave soldiers and injured eighteen more valiant soldiers. Those inflicted on seventeen Tiger terrorists and injured more than thirty-five.

They breaking of the LTTE’s prestigious so called One-Four Base in five places and capturing of those positions came as a rude shock to the terrorists who never expected the troops to creeping so soon.

extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=13766

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.

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

Parcel officers smuggling goods for LTTE -Rameswaram (India)

With security tightened in the coastal belts, persons supplying explosives and essential commodities to the LTTE are using services of parcel offices to smuggle the contraband, a top police official said on Saturday.

The items are sent by parcel to Ramanathapuram from where it would be smuggled to the militant outfit, an official of the Q-Branch, special wing dealing with militant activities, told PTI.

After interrogating three persons including a sub-inspector, the branch seized huge quantities of copper wires, rewinding machines and Nylon from a Parcel office at Paramakudi about 40 km from Ramanathapuram, meant for the LTTE, he said.

The seizure followed the arrest of the sub-inspector attached to the Armed Reserver Police, Tirunelveli, and two others in connection with the supply of country made pistols bullets and illegal fire arms to some persons, he said.

The Q branch inspector said eight bundles of copper wire, ten Baskets of Nylon Materials, a motor rewinding machine, nine bundles of special wire for rewinding mini-motors, 1000 battery cells and one lakh worth of cosmetics were seized.

This is the first time that the police have come across smuggling goods for the LTTE through regular transport parcel service, a top official said.

Extracted from,
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=447474&sid=REG

Troops advance rapidly on Welioya front : Fonseka

A confident army chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka yesterday said his troops on the Welioya front were making rapid progress.

The 59 Division on the offensive on the Vanni East had been able to gradually turn the battle to its advantage after a series of major engagements in the general area north of Janakapura, Fonseka said.

"We have advanced almost seven kilometres into the enemy-held territory," he told The Sunday Island, expressing confidence the army could sustain the existing pressure on the LTTE.

Fielding questions, he dismissed the perception that the 59 Division was on the offensive on a thin front. "The Welioya front in 14 kilometres wide and we have enough men and material to push ahead despite resistance," he said.

Contrary to reports, the jungle terrain had been to the army’s advantage and the 59 Division had skilfully overwhelmed the enemy formations which included some of their best fighting units.

Fonseka said the enemy had cleared some jungle areas ahead of the army front line on the Welioya front as they believed it would be advantageous to confront the army in the open.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/06/08/news2.html

Sri Lanka holds bus blast suspects

Sri Lanka's military says that 52 people have been arrested in connection with two bus bombings that killed 23 passengers and wounded dozens.

Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, a military spokesman, said that 51 suspected fighters were picked up on around Moratuwa, a suburb of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo where Friday's first attack took place.

Another suspect was arrested in the central district of Kandy, where the second blast killed two passengers, he said.

Sri Lankan officials have blamed the attacks on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which is fighting for a separate homeland in the north and east.

There has been no comment on the attacks from the Tamil Tigers who have been in a conflict with government forces for more than two decades.

Read more,
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres

Nation Jointly Salutes Our Liberators on War Heroes Day

PAST MEMORIES of the ancient grandeur were recalled with respect, as beats of Ranabera (drums) rent the air when the Nation stood in silence at the dawn of Saturday (7th June), the much-revered “War Heroes Day”. The national event was exclusively meant to pay tribute to brave soldiers of the tri-services (Army, Navy & Air Force) and the Police who continue to defend their motherland at the expense of their own lives.

The D-Day is also dedicated to the memory of thousands of War Heroes who have laid their lives while in action or gone missing. This year’s main ceremony got underway at the Sri Jayawardenapura Parliament Ground this evening (7) where a special permanent War Hero monument, erected on behalf of them, was unveiled by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

A distinguished gathering including VIPs, Prime Minister, Secretary Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Tri-Service Commanders, Inspector General of the Police, diplomats, parliamentarians, senior military officers and invitees graced this main ceremony at Battaramulla Saturday (7) evening where a tri-service and Police parade was staged.

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