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LTTE threatens more attacks

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Situation under control; Government determined to face any challenge in fight against terrorism

PHOTOS: AFP

LOCAL DESIGN, NATIONAL CONCERN: This undated picture released by the LTTE shows the undercarriage of their light aircraft with bombs.

COLOMBO: Tamil Tigers on Monday warned of "further air attacks in the near future," hours after they targeted the main base of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), 30 km from the capital and in the vicinity of the only international airport of the island nation.

In a statement posted on the LTTE's web site, its military spokesperson categorised the operation as "not only pre-emptive but also to safeguard" people in Tamil Eelam from "indiscriminate bombing" by the SLAF.

TamilNet maintained that military offensive by the armed forces in the northeast since the outbreak of violence in August 2006 had been dominated by SLAF attacks. "Attack aircraft have been inflicting heavy civilian casualties and damage to civilian property."

It said the LTTE, for the first time, released photos of the Air Tigers to the media coinciding with the first major mission of the "Tamil Eelam Air Force."

Night mission capability

TamilNet said: "While reputed military analysts speculated on the LTTE's use of aircraft limited to self-destroy missions, Tigers have surprised them by using locally designed payload carrying mechanisms, and automatic ammunition discharge circuitry, and demonstrated capability to fly night missions."

It said the Tigers credited the formation of the air wing (Vaanpuligal) to "Col." Shankar alias Vythialingam Sornalingam, an old student of Hartley College, Point Pedro. He was an aeronautical engineer with Air Canada, and had an engineering degree in aeronautics from Hindustan Engineering College in Tamil Nadu.

"Shankar was the chief of the `Air Tigers' and was responsible for developing the air wing from its infancy until his assassination in December 2001," TamilNet said.

The Tigers have not disclosed the type and number of light-wing aircraft in their possession. Judging by Monday's operation, they appear to have succeeded in using locally made fixtures attached to aircraft frame to allow automatic weapon discharge, under pilot control, of gravity bombs. After the initial acknowledgement that they were involved in building an air wing in November 1998, the Tigers were ambiguous in their response in September 2006 when there was speculation that a Tiger aircraft fired rockets at the Palaly Air Force base.

A Sri Lankan official speaks with a foreign national as they stand in front of a monitor featuring flight details at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo on Monday.

A runway at Iranaimadu, inside the Tiger-controlled Vanni, clearly visible in satellite images, was a contentious issue between the Government and the LTTE during the period after the signing of the ceasefire agreement in 2002.

SLAF Kfirs conducted raids dropping bombs on the Iranaimadu runway but the LTTE said it was repaired and usable. However, it is not clear if the LTTE aircraft that bombed the Katunayake SLAF military base used the Iranaimadu runway for takeoff and landing.

Separately, the military said the tense situation following Monday's attack was brought under control by the military forces and immediate measures were taken to beef up security in the area.

No change in schedules

Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) officials said there were no changes in flight schedules, despite a limited suspension of normal functions until proper security measures were guaranteed. Diverted flights were arriving. The BIA officials said passenger terminals had been functioning normally since 3.30 a.m., after the area was cleared following cordon and search operations. Earlier a few commercial flights were diverted to the Chennai and Malai airports.

The Sri Lankan Government condemned the LTTE attempt on the Katunayake Air Force Camp and appealed for unity to fight menace of terrorism.

"The attack came at 12.45 a.m. on Monday and the Air Force defence system got immediately activated preventing the enemy plane from making further attempts. Neither the fighter aircraft at the hangers of the Air Force Camp nor the runaway was damaged," said a statement.

The Government said the LTTE suffered major defeats in the east in recent weeks. It was the common practice of terrorist organisations to resort to cowardly attacks and cause maximum damage in the face of defeats on the battlefront. The statement said the Government was determined to face any challenge in its fight against terrorism and appealed to all sections to extend the fullest cooperation in this national endeavour.

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