Personal files belonging to the late LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran – with details about arms deals and arms shipments, intended targets, suicide cadres and other key information – were unearthed last week in what appears to be one of the most significant finds in areas formerly controlled by Tiger guerrillas.
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| Equipment to monitor the movements of Air Force jets and UAVs, as well as weapons and weapon parts, were among the assorted items found. |
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The items were found at the end of a six-day search operation conducted by a police team led by Colombo Crime Division director SP Vass Gunawardena. The operation was undertaken on the directions of the Defence Ministry.
Anura Senanayaka, Deputy Inspector General of Police, CCD, told the Sunday Times that files with more than 270 personal documents belonging to Prabhakaran were found in three large plastic containers. recovered in Vellamullivaikkal, in Mullatitivu.
A close associate of Prabhakaran in CCD custody and key LTTE members accompanied the CCD team during the search. The LTTE members included one of Prabhakaran’s personal bodyguards, a personal assistant to the LTTE chief, a driver and a mechanic who had worked for the Sea Tigers.
Prabhakaran’s close associate had initially said he would disclose three locations, but eventually helped to pinpoint 11 sites where LTTE documents and materials were buried.
The team uncovered a plastic barrel containing what is believed to be Eastern Province LTTE leader Swaranam’s personal belongings, including a mini-pistol and an M16 weapon.
Three other barrels were found to contain Prabhakaran’s personal documents. These relate to the purchase of weapons and countries of origin, weapon transport schedules, LTTE military plans, bank account details, military personnel details, as well as plans drawn up by Prabhakaran’s deputy Pottu Amman, including details of operations in Colombo, and Prabhakaran’s own plans.
According to SP Gunawardena, the search party also found communication equipment used by the LTTE to monitor the movements of Sri Lanka Air Force jets and transmissions from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Satellite phones, laptops, fax machines, antennas, cables and other items were also recovered.
According to SI Nishantha Hettiarachchi, the officer who led the CCD team, the documents and equipment had been buried in the last days of the final battle between the armed forces and the LTTE.
In separate searches in the vicinity the search party found anti-aircraft missiles, parts of 120 mm, 130mm and 152 mm artillery guns, chemicals and 33 LTTE suicide kits, as well as photographs of LTTE suicide cadres. The photographs showed LTTE cadres involved in the attack on the Anuradhapura air base. One photograph showed cadres posing with Prabhakaran.
Other finds included a uniform and a personal file belonging to a suicide bomber, and a document giving details of missions carried out by suicide bombers.
English language books on war strategy with Tamil translations and maps showing LTTE sea routes were also recovered. |
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