After an arms build-up, a new LTTE thrust in East

A Tiger guerrilla leader responsible for all their military procurements miraculously escaped arrest in an Asian capital last week.

Kumaran Pathmanathan or KP had travelled there on a forged passport under a false name. At least one foreign intelligence agency and an international law enforcement organisation tipped off their Sri Lankan counterparts in Colombo of the man's presence.

Trailing his movements, the authorities found that the most elusive Tiger guerrilla was booked to leave the Asian capital to an European destination. The authorities laid a trap but Kumaran Pathmanathan did not turn up for the flight. That was the last known of him.

Did he become aware that he was being trailed or was he tipped off ? The answer may never be known. News of his presence in the Asian capital came only weeks after authorities learnt of his reported movements in Singapore. However, he was not traced there.

It became clear that Kumaran Pathmanathan arrived in the Asian capital to travel over land to a neighbouring country on a procurement mission. Whether such deals were with a fanatically hard line religious group, now in power in this land locked country or with splinter groups, is still not clear to the authorities. But they have established the fact that he was on yet another procurement mission.

Kumaran Pathmanathan, a close confidante of LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, heads the guerrilla procurement division which is named, after the first two letters of his name, as KP Department. Intelligence officials in Colombo said the man known to operate under five aliases and more than ten false passports had so far succeeded in keeping ahead of the law.

They said he utilised funds stacked away in secret bank accounts in several countries including UK, Singapore, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Canada and Australia. More importantly, KP was also tasked with the responsibility of directing and controlling clandestine shipping operations world-wide. This is both by using the LTTE's own ships which function under various front companies carrying flags of convenience from Panama and Cyprus and also by hiring other ships. Most of the hired vessels, it has now transpired, were from Greece.

The LTTE is now credited as the only guerrilla organisation that has continued to successfully operate a fleet of deep sea vessels to procure and smuggle arms, ammunition and military cargo. Other fellow organisations like the People's Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Irish Republican Army (IRA) have since scaled down their activity.

In the recent months, particularly after the LTTE announced a unilateral ceasefire on Christmas eve, and continued to renew it every month until April this year, it became quite clear that large stocks of military hardware had been smuggled in through the north eastern coast. Confirmation of this came not only through deep sea battles between Navy patrols and Sea Tiger cadres but also through the arrest in the high seas of nine guerrillas.

Revelations that came following two deep sea confrontations in a week, as revealed in Situation Report (April 22), confirmed that the LTTE was resorting to a major build up of weapons and other material during their unilateral ceasefire. Besides a large assortment of arms and ammunition, the Government learnt that the LTTE had also smuggled in closed circuit diving equipment for underwater attacks. There are new reports that the guerrillas had acquired further stocks of recoilless guns, assortment of artillery guns, 23 mm anti-aircraft guns and pre-fabricated units to assemble medical aid posts in the battle areas. The latter is to attend to casualties.

With the help of newly acquired stocks of 120 mm mortar launchers, the LTTE is known to be setting up a large unit made up of female cadres to use this equipment. Training of these cadres is said to be underway in the Wanni jungles.

Further proof of the arrival of fresh military supplies to the LTTE came when intelligence authorities interrogated Tiger guerrillas captured during a confrontation in the high seas on March 23 (Situation Report – April 22). Their arrest followed a four hour long pre-dawn battle between Naval craft and Sea Tiger boats. This was after the Navy intercepted Sea Tiger boats escorting military cargo, unloaded from ships equipped with large twin cranes to smaller barges in the high seas off Mullaitivu. The captured guerrillas confirmed that bulk of the military cargo, unloaded into barges, had been landed on the shores of Mullaitivu and Chalai.

Increasing concerns by the Government over the steady influx of military supplies to the LTTE, through the north eastern coast, prompted the placing of a naval blockade. As exclusively reported in these columns (Situation Report – June 3), "Operation Waruna Kirana" was launched on May 25. It was the placing of a permanent naval cordon in the north eastern seas to curb weapons smuggling. Naval craft in the cordon liaise closely with Sri Lanka Air Force reconnaissance flights in this operation.

Since the placing of the naval cordon, there has been no deep sea encounters with Sea Tiger vessels or interception of weapons supplies smuggled into the north eastern coast. But senior security officials admit that a substantial volume of fresh supplies had in fact arrived and that would undoubtedly help the guerrillas to further exacerbate the already high intensity conflict. A brief review of past guerrilla weapons shipments will give an idea of how these developments have occurred.

Until 1984, the LTTE's sea faring capability was restricted to movements between Sri Lanka and India. In the years that followed, the LTTE developed its shipping operations with the purchase of MV Cholan from Singapore. Other vessels followed.

Following a procurement deal concluded by Kumaran Pathmanathan in late September 1990, MV Golden Bird left a port in Greece on October 15, 1990, with a load of military cargo. They included RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) launchers, medium machine guns, anti-aircraft gunsights and a large quantity of ammunition. It had docked in Singapore in June 1991 sans its cargo. Guerrillas had carried out ship to shore transfers in the high seas off the north eastern coast.

On December 13, 1990, MC Sunbird (known by several other previous names including St. Anthony, Dervant Water and Omiros, was detected by the Malaysian authorities at Penang. This vessel was operated by a front orgnisation of the LTTE and had on board sophisticated communications equipment, speed boats, electronic equipment, ammunition, underwater diving kits, explosives and other material.

On November 1991, MV Tongova was seized by the Indian Navy carrying a consignment of arms and ammunition. A diary on board revealed the large stocks of arms and ammunition that had already reached the LTTE. They included assault rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, anti tank weapons, mortar launchers and shells.

On January 16, 1993, MV Ahat (previously named MV Yahat) belonging to the LTTE was detected by the Indian coastguard in the Bay of Bengal. It was skippered by V. Jeyachandran, a resident of Jaffna who had acquired experience by serving in the merchant navy. The ten LTTE cadres on board included Sathasivam Krishnakumar (alias Kittu), the former "Jaffna Commander" and a close confidante of Velupillai Prabhakaran.

An Indian coastguard vessel opened fire sinking the cargo vessel. Kittu was killed in this incident. It was found that the ship carried arms and ammunition which the LTTE had purchased from a Gulf country. Testimony by Jeyachandran had revealed that Kuttisri, who was then involved in procurements had set out in August 1991, with 10 million US dollars. The cargo is said to have been purchased with this money.

It is with the latest acquisitions that the LTTE has set in motion its new battle plans. Intelligence sources speak of a major build up of cadres and equipment, both in Pooneryn and Nagar Kovil in the north. Are these preparations for a fresh attack on the Jaffna peninsula ? Opinion is divided in the intelligence community. Some argue these measures were essentially preparations to defend in the event of a security forces attack. Others say it is a diversion whilst the LTTE has set in motion a plan to destabilise the east. Yet others insist plans to make a push towards the peninsula is very much on the cards.

But the east, Batticaloa,Trincomalee and Ampara districts have seen a build up. The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army's 23 Division, Major General Nanda Mallawaratchchi, had reported to Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle, of a rapid increase in Tiger guerrilla activity in areas under his control.

Though there has been no major confrontations in the Batticaloa district, Tiger guerrillas have stepped up their attacks on Tamil and Muslim policemen. In addition they have begun attacking civilians. There have also been attacks on route clearing patrols and on security installations.

Mounting guerrilla attacks have prompted the security forces to retaliate. In a covert response last week, security forces succeeded in attacking Nizam, LTTE's military intelligence wing leader for the east and the man credited with putting together many improvised explosive devices that were used during guerrilla attacks in Colombo.

Nizam (his nom de guerre and his real name is not known) was pedalling his way to Unnichchi from Kokka-dicholai in the Batticaloa district when his booby trapped push cycle exploded. He was dead on the spot.

It did not take Tiger guerrillas 24 hours to retaliate. At Maduru Oya (in the Dhammina sector), guerrillas ambushed a security forces foot patrol killing two soldiers. The reprisals continued yesterday. Two more soldiers, part of a foot patrol, were killed in a Tiger guerrilla ambush at Kurulubedde in Welikande. (See box story for some of the noteworthy Tiger guerrilla attacks in the east since late last month).

In the Trincomalee district, General Officer Commanding the Army's 22 Division, Major General Gamini Hettiaratchi, launched an operation to clear guerrilla dominated areas of Upparu, Gangai, Navaladi and Iralkuli, areas south of the town area. The areas are located across the Koddiyar Bay where the Mahaweli Ganga meets the sea. The operation followed reports of Tiger guerrilla preparations in this area to attack naval installations in the dockyard and other targets.

One guerrilla was killed in the incident. Six others who were arrested, it later turned out, were civilians. Troops also recovered weapons, communications equipment and other items.

These developments come in the backdrop of the stalemated peace initiatives by Norway. After the facilitatory role fell on Norway's Foreign Minister, Thorbjorn Jagland, with the down grading of the role by Special Envoy Erik Solheim, no fresh initiatives have got under way.

In a statement issued last Sunday, the LTTE accused the Government of deliberately effecting a "crafty diplomatic ruse to down-grade and marginalise Mr. Solheim by a ploy of up-grading the facilitatory engagement." It said "making a bi-lateral decision with the Government of Sri Lanka, circumventing the other party in conflict entails a breach of protocol and neutrality," the statement said.

For its part, since the launch of the failed "Operation Agni Khiela," the Government has ordered a halt to major offensive operations. Raids by the Sri Lanka Air Force bombers on guerrilla targets have been halted temporarily. These measures have been adopted by the Government in a bid to ensure upcoming Norwegian initiatives are not hampered in any way.

Now, senior military officials complain that whilst there are restraints on them, the Tiger guerrillas have set in motion their military plans. They are slowly but surely stepping up the war, they say. 

Chronology of incidents in the East

May 25 - Guerrillas attacked a Police jeep killing one Police sergeant.

May 26 - Guerrillas fired at the Eravur police station. As a result a Unicorn vehicle of Chenkalady Army camp in the Batticaloa district was damaged and a soldier was wounded.

May 28 - Guerrillas attack a check point of Pottuvil Police Station (in Ampara district) killing one civilian and wounding another in the cross fire.

May 29 - Guerrillas fire mortars towards Kokkuthuduvai and Janakapura Army detachments in Welioya sector killing one soldier and wounding ten more.

May 31 - Guerrillas attack an Army truck at Pansalgodella in the Trincomalee district wounding two soldiers.

May 31 - Guerrillas fire mortars towards the Janakapura and Kokkuthuduvai Army detachments in Welioya sector.

June 01 - Guerrillas fire mortars towards Kokkutuduvai FDLs in Welioya district.

June 01 - Guerrillas attack a Naval listening post at Alles Garden in the Trincomalee district.

June 01 - Guerrillas attack a combined route clearing patrol of Army, Police and home guards in Divulwewa in the Trincomalee district killing four security force personnel and two civilians. One guerrilla was also killed in the incident. Two soldiers were wounded.

June 01 - Troops confront a group of guerrillas in Gomarankadawala in Tincomalee district. Two soldiers were killed and two more were wounded. Two T56 weapons, 12 hand grenades and a radio set were lost by troops.

June 02 - STF personnel on foot patrol confronted a group of guerrillas. Two STF personnel and a civilian were wounded in the incident.

June 03 - Guerrillas fire mortars at Janakapura Army detachment wounding a soldier. 

June 05 - Guerrillas attack a Forward Operational Base at Kavatharimunai in Batticaloa district killing seven soldiers and a civilian. Nine soldiers and 15 civilians were also wounded.

June 06 - Police STF personnel launched an operation in Kanjikudichchiaru in Ampara to destroy a guerrilla base. Fourteen guerrillas were killed. STF recovered 11 dead bodies and ten T 56 weapons.

June 07 – Army fighting patrol confronted a group of guerrillas at Alioluwa in the Trincomalee district. One soldier was killed in the incident.

June 07 – A group of guerrillas hijacked a tractor belonging to a civilian at Kayankerni in Valaichchenai in Batticaloa district. Security forces rushed to the area and engaged the guerrillas. Guerrillas fled leaving behind the tractor.

June 08 – Guerrillas shot dead an ex-LTTE member at Alles Garden in the Trincomalee district.

June 08 – Guerrillas fired mortars towards a Police post in Karuwankerni in Valachchenai in the Batticaloa district wounding a home guard.

June 08 – A reserve police constable was shot dead by a guerrilla pistol group operating in Eravur in the Batticaloa district.

June 08 - A reserve police constable was injured when a LTTE pistol group fired at him when he was reporting for duty at the Police post at Sammanthurai in Ampara.

June 10 – Two civilians were wounded when a hand grenade was thrown at a house in Kaliadiya in Trincomalee.

June 10 – Guerrilla pistol gang fired at a policeman who was returning home at Aridiyapuram in Batticaloa.

June 10 – Guerrillas abducted a Muslim civilian at Miravodai in Valachchenai in Batticaloa district.

June 11 – Guerrillas attacked a police post in Weheragama in Ampara district killing two home guards.

June 12 – Two civilians were checked at a Naval check point at Velloor in the Trincomalee district and nine gelignite sticks, 21 non electric detonators recovered.

June 12 – LTTE pistol gang fired at a policeman attached to Eravur police station in Batticaloa.

June 14 – Troops in ambush confronted a group of guerrilas in Vanthurumoolai in Batticaloa district. Guerrillas retaliated and fled the area. Later troops arrested one guerrilla hiding inside a toilet in the Batticaloa university.

June 14 – Guerrilla pistol group shot dead a policeman in Eravur town in Batticaloa district.

The Fifth Column

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