Most Tamils are not Tigers

It has often been said that while all Tigers are Tamils, all Tamils are not Tigers. However threadbare the cliché may be, this is almost wholly true although it is increasingly evident that some Sinhalese are very much in the pay of the Tigers. But it is a fact of life in this civil war-torn country, where a terrorist strike by the LTTE at anytime, anywhere, is a stark possibility, extraordinary security measures that burden ordinary people, have to be taken. Yet it is not acceptable that when such restrictions, checks and investigations are enforced, that people of one community are singled out for special attention.

We carry an article today about one such instance of a woman who has worked for many years in two garment factories in the outskirts of Colombo, who while headed for her home in Badulla, suffered the nightmare of being held for nearly two days in a police station until her employer was able to establish her bona fides and get her released. The story also indicates varying degrees of kindness to the detainees in the police station that would have certainly helped blunt the bitterness such incidents inevitably create.

Reading the report of the travails of those held for checking, a problem that too many Tamils mostly from the estate areas often suffer, there is a clear impression created that these checks are replete with a great deal of unnecessary bureaucratic procedures. Sometimes the so-called ``suspects’’ are produced in court or, more commonly, a lot of time is spent in deciding whether they should be produced. Meanwhile they continue to be held by the police in stations that are not equipped to hold large numbers.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/08/10/editorial.html

6 suspected LTTE operatives held in Chennai

At least six suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) operatives were arrested here on Saturday, the police said.

A number of fake number plates and other materials were seized from the suspects, according to the police.

The detentions were the consequence of the 10-day-old arrest of LTTE operative Thambinna alias Daniel, police sources said.

Extracted from,
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14737182

Air Force destroy 3 LTTE nerve centers in Wanni

Sri Lanka Air Force carried out 3 historic air missions targeting 3 of the LTTE's most vital nerve centers in the Wanni during last few hours, said the defence sources.

According to Air Force spokesperson , Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, the first of the triple air raids was carried out last midnight targeting the LTTE's Sea Tiger forward operating base at Nagasivanthurai in Poonaryn.

"LTTE occupations near Nagasivanthurai Jetty , a Radar point and a boatyard was destroyed in this mission carried out by MI 24 helicopters", he said. Speaking further the said that the target was operated as a forward reconnaissance centre by the LTTE.

The defence intelligence sources said that the targeted location has gained highest strategic importance in LTTE's military plans of late, aimed at avoiding the impending military defeat.

The second air raid was conducted by fighter jets at 9.55 AM targeting the main operation centre of the LTTE's intelligence wing located at Iranapalai, North of Puthukkudiyiruppu, in the Mullaittiuvu district. According to the defence intelligence sources, the target was one of the most secured terror base with the highest strategic importance to the LTTE.

Air Force spokesperson citing after-mission reports confirmed the target was destroyed.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080809_03

Heroes of our times

The 16th death anniversary of the late Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa, the legendary War Hero of our times and eight other military leaders including Major General Wijaya Wimalaratne and Rear Admiral Mohan Jayamaha falls today (August 8).

Lieutenant Colonel H.R Stephen, Lieutenant Colonel G.H. Ariyarathne, Lieutenant Colonel Y.N. Palipana, Lieutenant Commander Asanga Lankathilaka, Major Nalin de Alwis, Lieutenant Commander C.B. Wijepura and Private W.J. Wickremasinghe were the other war heroes who perished in an LTTE terrorist blast at Araly point, Jaffna.

Kobbekaduwa the veteran soldier was fondly loved by his officers and soldiers alike. He was also equally loved by a majority of Sri Lankans of Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic and Islam denominations.

His untimely demise shocked the Nation as people plunged into shock and grief when the radio broke the news on that fateful day. A sea of mourners and patriots attended his final funeral rites.

Kobbekaduwa was deeply loved by his subordinates for his inspirational leadership and humanity. The massive crowds at his funeral proved the love and respect that people had towards him. His demise drove the entire country into mourning.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080808_03
Video Source,
SLRC

Tigers Do another “Vakare” on Mullaittivu Hospital

TIGER (LTTE) propaganda lobbyists appear to be once again doing overtime to tarnish the image of advancing Sri Lanka Army troops in MULLAITTIVU district, as fall of Tiger strongholds is imminent in the near future. This time it was MULLAITTIVU hospital.

The latest ruse by the Tigers has come to the fore with the publication of a story in their mouthpieces Friday (8) morning, claiming that troops in MULLAITIVU have fired artillery on MULLAITTIVU district hospital.

The Army categorically denies having fired any artillery rounds and contents of the LTTE canard. It also wishes to remind that Tiger terrorists in the same manner used the same tactic in VAKARE and MADHU when the troops were reaching VAKARE and MADHU areas. Terrorists in both those instances damaged the VAKARE hospital and most recently the sacred MADHU Shrine, just before the troops rolled in.

As of Friday (8), troops of the 59 Division are deployed in NITHKAYKULAM, about 15 km, south of MULLAITTIVU center and have in no way directed any artillery fire towards MULLAITTIVU or its suburbs, as stated in those false reports.

Extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=15198

Tamilnet's latest lies

The Tamilnet website, manned by Pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora 'journalists' continues inventing news stories favorable to their losing war. In one of its recent and most blatant lies, the website announced on Tuesday, August 2008, that '23 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and four wounded in a Claymore ambush at Periyavaddavaan in Tharavai (Thoppikkal) area in Batticaloa district Tuesday evening around 6:30'.

Supposedly, 'well informed sources in Batticaloa' had told this to TamilNet. The site goes on to claim that this 'is the first major ambush on SLA since the Sri Lankan forces occupied the Thoppikkal region an year ago'.

In a small line below the article, the site reveals the truth, that 'only one SLA soldier was killed in the ambush and three wounded'. Although these lies are clearly to a Diaspora audience, it reveals the dwindling quality of tamilnet's sources in the East. Comparatively speaking, Tamilnet sources in the Wanni still continues as evidenced by an article today alleging a shelling of an innocents house in the Wanni.

Read more,
http://defencewire.blogspot.com/2008/08/tamilnets-latest-lie.html

UN turns down LTTE ceasefire plea

The United Nations has turned down the LTTE request for the declaration of an immediate ceasefire, Government Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

The LTTE had made the request to the UN on Thursday (7) and the UN had informed the Government of Sri Lanka about the request.

Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona was informed by the UN that the LTTE had made the request on an urgent basis stating that the government armed forces were attacking the Tamil people of the Kilinochchi District from two fronts, he said.

But the LTTE had not stated that they would lay down their arms in the event of a ceasefire, Rambukwella said.

Rambukwella also said the LTTE request had come in the wake of the increased assault on their positions by the armed forces in a bid to get the attacks stopped.

Extracted from,
http://www.island.lk/2008/08/09/news2.html

Kasargod: Subsidized Kerosene Diverted to LTTE from State?

The additional director general of police, Kerala intelligence wing, through an information sent to the police stations located in Kasargod and Kannur districts of the state, has shared with them the information, that a part of the subsides kerosene the government is supplying to the fishermen of the districts, is being sold to LTTE cadres for fuelling their activities.

The intelligence wing has learnt that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) wants fuel to power its boats and that it has engaged agents in these districts to collect kerosene and pass on the same to the LTTE. The police have learnt that such agents have been active in places like Talangare, Bekal and Ayikal.

Many fishermen are frustrated to learn that huge quantities of this scarce commodity, for getting which they have to struggle a lot, is being sold at a premium to LTTE. It may be noted that the blue kerosene which as per rules, is sold only through ration shops for nine rupees a litre, is available for sale in other shops for around Rs 25 per litre.

Boats of Tamil fishermen from Srilanka who are sympathetic to the LTTE cause, come near the sea shores of Trivendrum and other places. The middlemen are believed to be supplying kerosene to the LTTE through these boats.

In the recent past, policemen have been able to confiscate huge stocks of illegally stored kerosene from various spots. 1,400 litres of kerosene had been seized by them recently from a house in Anangoor and arrested a person. This was subsidized kerosene. The police are keeping an eye on other suspects and continuing with their investigations.

Extracted from,
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?

LTTE continue to conscript children, fleeing civilians reveal

English Version,

Source,
http://www.youtube.com/user/sinhahada

sinhala Version,

"Prabhakaran's children were sent to schools in the West, our children are denied education and sent to battle."

Civilians arriving in the liberated areas in North seeking protection of the security forces after escaping from the grip of Tiger terrorists are accusing the LTTE for continuous forcible conscription of children as combatants.

It is also reported that the LTTE terrorists have intensified their campaign to conscript children as they are rapidly losing ground to the advancing troops of the security forces.

News reports from the Wanni battle front indicate that the LTTE has used the Thavanpiddi Waddakkandhal school premises to train children in combat activities. They have also built a separate facility at the main hall of the school for special training and named it Mahaweera Hall. It has been built to display bodies of child soldiers who were killed in fighting.

The LTTE has removed the roof of the school building. They have also ordered that text books issued to schools in the north to be destroyed, civilian sources revealed.

Read more,
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/PANA-7HBDZQ?OpenDocument&RSS20=02-P
Video Source,
SLRC

LTTE links claimed as Sri Lankan scams entire English village

An English court has jailed a Sri Lankan man who defrauded an entire village apparently in order to pay back debts to a loan-shark with Tamil Tigers links.

Abdul Samad Mohamed Raik, a petrol station attendant in the village of Houghton on the Hill in southeast England, was jailed for two years and nine months Wednesday after he helped to clone more than 500 debit or credit cards to steal 175,000 pounds.

Barely a household in the village with a population of 1,500 escaped the scam, which was carried out over October-December last year.

Residents of the small village, which has a population of around 1,500, had no idea that they had been targeted until learning from their banks that their accounts had been plundered all around the globe.

Leicester Crown Court was told Wednesday that Raik, 33, used a fake card reader to copy the card details of not only villagers but also motorists passing through the area.

Read more,
http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20080807/890/twl-ltte-links-claimed-as-sri-lankan-sca.html

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.

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

“Cut off NGOs’ aid to LTTE”

Sri Lanka on Thursday reasserted there was no question of holdings talks or declare a ceasefire unless the LTTE lays down its weapons and demonstrates its genuine interest to negotiate.

Minister and spokesperson Keheliya Rembukwella said at a news conference “rumours” were spread during the recent SAARC Summit that security forces had halted the offensive in the north. “There is not an iota of truth in these rumours. As a matter of policy, the government is determined to weaken the LTTE militarily.” He claimed the police and security forces were engaged in a “humanitarian mission with a great determination to liberate Kilinochchi and Mullathivu...”

“The government has taken a policy decision to continue this humanitarian mission until all the innocent Tamil civilians are liberated from the LTTE. Till that [goal is achieved], the government will never go for negotiations or accept the conditions put forward by the terrorists,” he said.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara claimed the forces are advancing into the LTTE’s remaining strongholds in the north. In multiple assaults on LTTE strongholds, at least 10 LTTE cadre and one soldier were killed, and 36 Tigers injured. Separately, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said “denying LTTE access to INGO [International NGO] and NGO material” is a critical element in Sri Lanka’s efforts to destroy the group. In an interview to an English daily, he referred to concerns over the “use of heavy vehicles belonging to the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) by the LTTE for terror activities.”

Read more,
http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/08/stories/2008080856891500.htm

Navy raids LTTE Make-shift Camp on Iranathivu Island - One LTTE Boat destroyed, Four LTTE Cadres killed and Two LTTE Boats captured

Sri Lanka Navy’s Rapid Action Boats Squadron (RABS) and Special Boats Squadron (SBS) destroyed an LTTE make-shift camp located on Iranathivu Island off the North-western coast, destroying one LTTE boat, killing four LTTE cadres and capturing two LTTE boats, in the evening on the 02nd August 2008.

Naval troops upon observing the LTTE boats and cadre movements on the Iranathivu Island, had immediately engaged the enemy and their craft. Subsequently, naval troops landing on the Iranathivu island, destroyed an LTTE make-shift camp and captured two LTTE boats along with two OBMs left behind by the fleeing LTTE cadres under the naval fire. Simultaneously, naval craft engaged a cluster of LTTE boats hovering closer to the Nachchikudah beach and inflicted heavy damages to the enemy.

Meanwhile, the Navy’s elite Special Boats Squadron personnel made a swift landing on the Iranathivu island and secured the area by carrying out a special search operation. A stretcher, a haul of medical items, two cans full of fuel, and a tent were recovered by the naval personnel. A cleared building at the location bears the signs of having being recently used by the LTTE cadres. Two dinghies were found abandoned near the building and they are reported to have been used by the LTTE cadres to extort money from the local fishermen as “taxes” on their fish catch.

Extracted from,
http://www.navy.lk/index.php?id=928

Troops capture LTTE's last stronghold in Mannar District

Reaching to another significant milestone of the Wanni liberation operation, the heroic army soldiers in task Force 1 captured the Vellankulam town, the LTTE's last stronghold in Mannar District this afternoon, August 02.

According to the latest information received from the Mannar front, following the fierce gun battle occurred during last few day, troops have advanced into the Vellankulam town area this afternoon despite the stiff resistance given by the terrorists to protect the strategically important build-up area which has direct supply route between western cost and Mankulam via Thunukkai and Mallavi.

At least 30 LTTE terrorists were killed and more terrorists have withdrawn via see routs with their casualties due to the effective fire power launched by the troops, ground sources said.

Two main fortified LTTE camps were located in the Vellankulam town area and LTTE terrorists withdrawn loosing after Vidattaltivu and Illuppaikkadavai had reorganized in the Vellankulam area to make resistance for the advancing troops.

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080802_06