Some NGOs providing assistance to LTTE: Sri Lankan PM

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake has warned that some NGO activists were assisting the LTTE to save the outfit from defeat.

The Tiger militants are being blamed for the recent spate of attacks on civilians in Sri Lanka on the eve of the Diamond Jubilee Independence Day celebrations of the country.

While the US' FBI had named the LTTE as one of the most dangerous terrorist organisations, there were some elements in the country, including NGOs, that had attempted to supply the Tamil Tigers with highly nutritious food and bullet proof suits to save it from defeat, he said.

Wickramanayake, speaking in Parliament on the motion to extend the State of Emergency in the country for another one month, yesterday said the Tigers are now mainly confined to the small jungle area in the north.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Rest_of_World/

India should put pressure on LTTE: TULF chief

The international community, especially India, should put pressure on the LTTE to refrain from killing innocent civilians in Sri Lanka, a senior Tamil politician has said.

"The time has now come for India to step in and tell the LTTE to keep hands off civilians," Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) president V Anandasangaree said.

"The LTTE's only hope now is to unleash fresh violence for which the Sinhalase are not prepared," he said in a statement from London.

"I condemn every killing. I believe that no one has any right to take the life of another," he said.

"It (the killings) will not take them (LTTE) anywhere. Instead they lose their credibility day by day. It is high time the international community warn the LTTE to refrain from causing the death of innocent civilians," he said.

He criticised the Tamil media in Lanka for not being categorical in blaming the LTTE for the killings of civilians in the country.

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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200802071540.htm

Most Killed in Railway Station Blast were School Children

The death toll of the suicide attack by the LTTE female cadre at Colombo Fort railway station rose to 14 yesterday(4). Among them were seven students of D.S.Senanayake College, Colombo. They were members of the College Baseball team. The coach of the team was also killed in the blast. The team had been returning home after a match, police said. According to witnesses, the coach had taken the team to the cafeteria for refreshments.

Malinda Arumadura of Gandara was the coach. The students killed were: Kolitha Kumara Wasalamudalige of Hokandara, Rajaratnam Radheeshwaran of Dematagoda, Vimukthi Sajan Thevarapperuma of Kalutara North, Supun Halalla of Angoda, Dinuk Priyashanka of Homgama, Tivanka Tissera of Dehiwala, and Eranga Chaturanga of Colombo 7.

Two school girs were also killed by the blast. One of them was a student of an international school.

Primary Magisterial inquiries into the deaths of the 14 were held yesterday (04). Subsequently, post mortems were conducted by Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer and the bodies handed over to relatives.

Ninety two injured have been admitted the National Hospital.

Extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=10511
Photos,
http://www.divaina.com/2008/02/06/news24.html
and http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=10511

SLAF fighter jets attack LTTE gathering point - Kilinochchi

SLAF fighter jets raided an LTTE gathering point this morning (February 6) at 8.30 in Thiruwe Aru, 1km Northwest of Iranamdu Tank.

According to Air Force sources, pilots launched precision attacks at the target. The aerial sorties were taken as information were received of a high profile LTTE gathering at the location, which was under constant surveillance of the security forces.

LTTE are yet to reveal losses, the sources said.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080206_03

ICES boss Dr. Rama Mani to be deported

Sri Lanka's Immigration and Emigration Authorities have withdrawn the residential visa issued to Dr. Rama Mani, Executive Director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), Colombo and ordered her to leave Sri Lanka before Thursday Feb.7.

This follows her unwarranted interference in Sri Lanka's national security matters as revealed in a CID report forwarded to the Government.

An attempt made by a former government official, who closely associated with the LTTE, to prevent Dr. Mani – an Indian National now a French citizen – from being ordered to leave the country has failed.

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http://www.sinhala.net/LocalNews/SinhalaNet_Full_News.asp?ID=3016#NewsViewBM

Thirty LTTE bunkers destroyed,12 terrorists killed

Thirty LTTE bunkers were completely destroyed this morning (06). When Army troops launched an attack between 5.50 a.m. and 6.30 a.m.

Four LTTE bunkers in NAGARKOVIL ten in the North of A - 9 route, and 16 in KILALI were destroyed.

Troops used T 55 tanks in the NAGARKOVIL attack. Twelve terrorists were killed and a large number were injured in the encounter. Five soldiers were injured.

During Search operations, troops recovered a MPMG weapon, T 56 Weapon, 5 Magazines and some military equipments.

Extracted from,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=10518

LTTE rocks Congress-DMK boat again

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas are once again at the heart of a row between Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK party and the Congress.

Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi has expressed his disgust over the stand of the Congress, some of whose leaders have accused him of going soft on those in Tamil Nadu allegedly sympathetic to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) .

In an unusual outburst, Karunanidhi Sunday described as 'untrue' allegations that his government was allowing the LTTE to have a free run in Tamil Nadu. He asserted that 92 people linked to the LTTE had been arrested in the past 20 months that the DMK has ruled the state that is separated from Sri Lanka by a strip of sea.

Alleging he 'suspected a conspiracy' to destabilise his regime, he reacted angrily: 'Our self-respect is dearer than the crown of thorns that denotes power. We are ready to lose power if (our self-respect) is under threat.'

Read more,
http://www.indiaenews.com/politics/20080206/95912.htm

Respect umpiring decisions: Sangakkara

Sri Lankan wicket-keeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara said umpiring decisions in cricket should be respected.

He was responding to a question on his appeal for a caught behind decision against Rohit Sharma which was upheld by Umpire Rudi Koerzten. But the replays indicated the Indian batsman had not got a touch to the ball at the ’Gabba on Tuesday.

Sangakkara said: “We have some of the best umpires in the business and we should accept their decisions graciously. The beauty of the game lies in the human element.”

The Lankan said umpiring decisions could go either way. He was referring to his own dismissal in the Hobart Test against Australia this season. Umpire Koertzen had wrongly ruled Sangakkara out when he was leading Sri Lanka’s heroic pursuit in the last innings. His dismissal had ended Lanka’s hopes.

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/06/stories/2008020659692100.htm

Their silence on tiger atrocities disrobes human rights mongers! – Wimal Weerawansa

The silence of those who clamour for human rights regarding atrocities committed by tiger terrorists vividly display their partiality to tiger terrorism says Information Secretary of the JVP Wimal Weerawansa.

Making a special statement in the Parliament yesterday regarding the attacks carried out by tiger terrorists targeting innocent civilians during the past few days Mr. Weerawansa said, “Though we have questions to ask from human rights mongers who keep mum regarding atrocities carried out by tiger terrorists against innocent civilians, we’ll keep them for a latter time.

Read more,
http://www.lankatruth.com/full_story/2008/February/06/200800206_01.htm

Navy Radars detect a large number of Indian fishing boats engaged in poaching in the Sri Lankan waters off Thalaimannar

Sri Lanka Navy concluded the search operation conducted today morning in the seas off Thalaimannar. The Navy launched the search operation when two of its small fibre glass boats were fired upon by two Indian fishing craft engaged in illegal fishing north of Thalaimannar close to Iranathivu yesterday (4th February 2008).

It is now suspected that LTTE sea tigers may have been involved in the incident. LTTE sea tigers often use the cover of Indian fishing boats to launch attacks on SLN vessels and craft. They mingle with Indian fishing boats to avoid detection and launch attacks endangering the lives of the Indian fishermen in the ensuing retaliatory fire. LTTE sea tigers have a track record of highjacking Indian trawlers and boats to be used in attacks against the Navy and to run clandestine arms smuggling activities across the Gulf of Mannar.


The Navy’s radars had detected approximately 400 Indian fishing trawlers in the Sri Lankan territorial waters north of Thalaimannar close to Iranathivu yesterday (04th February 2008) around 6.00 p.m.

Read more,
http://www.navy.lk/index.php?id=682
Photos,
http://www.navy.lk/index.php?id=682

Sri Lanka air force fighter jets carried out their second sortie for the day

Sri Lanka air force fighter jets carried out their second sortie for the day at an LTTE communication relaying station located half kilometers south of Karadipokku junction, north of Kilinochchi town, this evening (February 5), defence sources said.

According to sources, the target was engaged around 3.25 p.m., after having observed the terrorists' response to the earlier air raid on the terror strategic nerve centre in Kaivelikulam, Puthukudiriuppu. Defence intelligence sources said that, the target indicated intense activity and also the possible presence of high profile terrorists.

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http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080205_06

Air Force fighter jets raid LTTE's strategic nerve centre - Kaivelikulama

Sri Lanka air force fighter jets raided one of the main strategic command and control centres of the LTTE terrorists located at Kaivelikulama, Northwest of Puthukudiruppu this morning (February 5).

According to the defence intelligence source, the target was engaged on the real-time ground information that indicated intensified terror activity at the target. Also, it has been kept under thorough ground and air surveillance for considerable period, the sources added.

Fighter pilots have confirmed that the target was accurately hit.

Extracted from,
http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080205_01

Indian fishing boats open fire on SLN vessels

Two fast attack craft (FAC) of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) came under small arms fire from a number of smaller Indian fishing boats in Thalaimannar area yesterday at around 6PM.

Two FACs on routine patrol in Mannar region were sent to investigate reports of a large number of vessels docked in Thalaimannar area. When SLN crafts first approached the suspicious boats, the fishermen had requested help from navy citing technical problems. However the fishing boats had opened fire on SLN vessels when the naval personnel tried to investigate the legality of their docking.

Read more,
http://defencenet.blogspot.com/2008/02/indian-fishing-boats-open-fire-on-sln.html

Government appeals for utmost vigilance to thwart terrorists

GOVERNMENT STATEMENT

The LTTE having suffered defeat after defeat in the face of the relentless advance of the security forces and facing imminent annihilation have resorted to targeting unarmed, helpless and innocent civilians. The LTTE, thereby, has proved once again that they are terrorists and therefore to identify them in any other terms would not only be erroneous but ethically reprehensible.

The Government, while condemning in the strongest possible terms these cowardly attacks over the past few days, emphasizes the fact that the people, Government and the nation cannot and will not be intimidated by terrorism.

The Government is of the view that nothing short of the total defeat of the terrorists can put a stop to such attacks and expresses confidence that the commitment of the heroic armed forces will achieve this end soon. In the meantime, the Government reiterates that each and every citizen has a responsibility to support these efforts by exercising utmost vigilance regarding their surroundings and all suspicious persons.

The Government and the people were largely undeterred by the numerous threats to disrupt the celebrations associated with the 60th anniversary of Independence. It must be understood that the aim of the LTTE is to disrupt normal life and this is exactly what should be avoided. The 60th anniversary of Independence was celebrated with the pride and pomp appropriate for such a momentous occasion and this itself is a victory for the people’s democratic spirit and their will to be free from all shackles, including fear of terrorist attacks.

Read more,
http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4804&Itemid=44