Attack on arms ship exposes LTTE’s desperation

A joint operation by the Sri Lanka Navy and Air Force last week destroyed a large vessel carrying a stock of weapons for the LTTE, dealing a further blow to the rebel group which in recent weeks has suffered many set backs in the north east. The LTTE’s weapons replenishing operations have also been hit especially with Canada and USA cracking down on its operatives in those countries.

The LTTE’s armoury including mortars and claymore mines has reportedly been depleted following heavy fighting with government forces in Mavil Aru, Mutur and other areas in the north east.

The armed forces had also destroyed a large amount of LTTE weaponry through air strikes on LTTE camps.

The latest blow to the LTTE came hot on the heels of the crackdown on LTTE operatives in Canada and the USA who were arrested in mid August when attempring to buy Russian-made anti aircraft missiles as well as firearms for the LTTE. These operatives are now facing charges for multiple crimes including conspiracy to provide materials to a designated foreign terrorist organisation.

The new US envoy to Colombo Robert O. Blake reiterated on Tuesday the US government’s commitment to help Sri Lanka fight terrorism and said his government had demonstrated this in many ways. “We are working productively on the law enforcement side as we demonstrated during the recent string operation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that netted 15 suspected LTTE arms traffickers just last month,” the envoy said in his first news conference after presenting his credentials to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

It is in this background of mounting pressure on the LTTE, that the attempt was made to smuggle in weapons. The LTTE was sunk last Sunday several hours after Navy patrol boats first detected it, 100 nautical miles off Kalmunai. The vessel is believed to have been heading south of Mullaitivu and carrying at least 200 tons of explosives, Navy spokesman D.K.P. Dasanayake said. Its deadly cargo is believed to have contained surface-to-air (SAM) s missiles as well as artillery guns, he said.

This is the third largest vessel to be destroyed by the Sri Lanka Navy since the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement in 2002, with two others being destroyed in March and June 2003. Six multi-day fishing trawlers attempting to transport weapons to the LTTE were destroyed in December last year.

Commander Dasanayake said last Sunday’s attempt by the LTTE to smuggle in a weapons shipment in spite of strict surveillance maintained by the Sri Lanka Navy was a clear indication of the group’s desperation to get new stocks .“They are taking these risks because they are desperate,” he said.
The vessel in question was first spotted by Navy surveillance craft around 7.30 a.m. on Sunday following which the Navy’s Eastern Commander as well as the Navy Commander were informed.

The Navy men had then contacted the suspect ship through the international radio frequency but there had been no response. Then the vessel was directed to head towards the Trincomalee harbour for it to be checked. Instead, the ship had altered course to the east, increased speed and started moving towards the deep sea.

Around 10 a.m. the Navy had fired a few rounds of warning shots at the vessel and in response several rounds were fired towards the navy ship “Samudra” with 23 mm guns hitting the ship but causing no major damages to it, Commander Dasanayake said.

The Navy had called in reinforcements from Trincomalee by this time as well as sought assistance from the Air Force which sent in three Kfir fighter jets to the area.

In the air attack, one of the two engines of the vessel was destroyed but the ship had continued to move slowly away towards international waters. Navy craft continued to fire at the vessel and around 3.45 in the afternoon, it had caught fire and sunk about an hour later.

“There were several explosions from the burning vessel indicating that it was carrying a large stock of explosives, ”Commander Dasanayake said.

The vessel had come from the direction of Indonesia and is believed to have been carrying between 12-.15 people, all of whom perished. The weapons too were completely destroyed in the explosions that took place on board, he added.

Speculation has been rife following the destruction of this vessel that two such similar vessels are on the way carrying weapons for the LTTE. However Commander Dasanayake said there was no definite information on such vessels, but the Navy had intensified its patrols.In a statement the government said “this was a clear indication that the LTTE had not stopped procuring arms and ammunition to further their terrorist activities.” Meanwhile the LTTE has been silent on the destruction of the vessel and not countered the claims by the government that it was carrying weapons for the group.