Jets pound on terror command centre

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets pounded on an LTTE Command Centre located in the Parappakadattan area, on the Mannar warfront this morning (May 23).

According to Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya, the target was engaged around 7.40 am to support troops advancing on the Mannar front. He said that the target was effectively hit but details of damages caused to the terrorists are yet to be verified.

Security News 23/05/2008

An army soldier was killed due to a claymore explosion carried out by the LTTE terrorists in general area Bakmitiyawa in Ampara this morning, May 23.

A member of the Tamil political group Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP), was shot and injured by alleged LTTE gunmen at the Mannar Town area around 5.35p.m., yesterday (May 22).

Troops while acting on civilian information received, have uncovered few warlike items alleged smuggled by LTTE operatives at Karaveddy in Point Pedro, yesterday (May 22) at around 8.55 p.m.

A Tamil civilian was shot dead by an alleged LTTE gunman in Manipura-Ganeshapur area at Nelukkulama around 12.30a.m., today (May 23), Vavuniya Police said.

Prabakaran paying his last respect to the demised Balraj

LTTE Peace secretariat released photographs showing reclusive leader of the outfit Velupillai Prabakaran paying his last respect to the demised Balraj at an undisclosed hideout in Vanni.
Details of where and when Prabakaran, the leader of the terrorists outfit paid his last respect to self styled Brigadier Balaraj who died of a heart attack on last 20 May in Vanni, were not disclosed.
Pro-LTTE news websites revealed that Balraj (Balasegaram Kandiah, born on 27 November, 1965), hails from Kokkuththoduvai in Mullaiththeevu district, has commanded the Charles Antony Brigade between 1991-1993 and between 1995-1997. He was an expert on different forms of warfare, including psychological operations, and deployed different tactics during the planning and the conduct of the operations.
According another pro LTTE website, along with LTTE leader Prabakaran - Several commanders of the outfit: Masal - Commander , Keerthi - Special Commander of Batticaloa, Vasanthan – Special Commander for Trincomalee, Sasikumar – Special Commander of the Inteligence Unit, Thinesh – Senior Military Trainer, Pukalenthi – Senior leader of the outfit, Kapilan – Officer in Charge of domestic intelligence, P.Nadesan – Head of the Political Division, Manivannan - Commander Kittu Artillery Brigade, Goapal - Commander Kuttisri Mortar Brigade, Gopith – Commander Charles Antony Special Brigade, Colonel Aathavan – Officer in Charge of army training school, Pavanithi – Commander Kuttisri Mortar Women Brigade, Rathinam – Commandar Military Intelligence, Maran –in charge of the medical unit, Commander Jerry, Commander Vikkies and Commander Lawrence and several other officials of the armed groups participated in the ceremony.

Two TMVP cadres shot dead

Two TMVP cadres including an area commander were shot dead around 11.15 am this morning at the Kathankudi bus stand. One of them was identified as Shanthan, a top official of the outfit and the other is identified as Tharsan.
According to a police report the two paramilitary cadres were shot and killed while they were riding in a motorcycle.
Yesterday night, there was a clash reported between the TMVP cadres and the EPDP cadres. In the clash 4 EPDP cadres were reported to have sustained injuries. This attack has taken place inside the compound of the Kathankudi Pentecost Church compound.
It is reported that armed cadres claiming themselves as belonging to TMVP are roaming in the Kathankudi, a predominantly Muslim populated area.

Hisbullah takes oaths as Health minister in EPC

Colombo, 22 May, (Asiantribune.com): M.L.A.M. Hisbullah took oaths this morning at the Temple Trees as the Eastern Provincial Council Minister of Health, Youth and Women's Affairs before President Mahinda Rajapakse.
However, Mr.Hisbullah said yesterday he agreed to abandon their protest if the government adds education to the ministerial portfolio offered to Hisbulla in addition to Health and Muslim Affairs.
The majority of the people in the Eastern Province, he said, were Tamil speaking and the subject of education should be assigned to a minister who was conversant with their problems and needs.

Two more LTTE cadres arrested in Paris

French police detained two leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on May 13. These two had evaded arrest last year when the police closed in on them during the major round up of top Tamil Tigers operating in Paris. The French Police arrested two leading LTTE activist Subramanium Muhundan and Yogarasa Sivarasan in Paris after painstaking investigating lasting several months.

Muhundan and Sivarasan were heavily involved in fund raising and money laundering for the LTTE since the arrest of 19 LTTE cadres including top most leaders of all the divisions of the terrorist organization April 01, 2007. After preliminary investigations, 5 of them were released but the top 14 leaders were remanded without bail. The detained include LTTE’s French leader Nadaraja Mathinatharan alias Parithi and the Political Leader Aravindan Thuraiswamy alias Metha.

At that time, several LTTE cadres including Muhundan and Sivarasan who crossed over to neighboring countries though the open border points.

After the arrest of the top leaders, the LTTE appointed Stalin Sarvarimuthu alias Ranjan to the top post. Ravi Manikkam alias Utha Ravi was appointed as ‘enforcer’ to intimidate the Tamil community. But within months, the Sous Directorate Anti Terrorism (SDAT) arrested them together with three others taking the total LTTE detainees to 19.

Although the lawyers submitted several appeals for release, the Magistrates of Paris refused bail for 19 LTTE leaders.

The French police produced the detainees before the judge and their bail applications were rejected and their custody period was extended by another four months. The Court was informed that the suspects would be tried in April 2008 for several criminal activities including extortion, intimidation, forceful fund collection, money laundering and fraudulent finance dealings.

The sources in Paris said that another detainee, Thuraisamy Jayamurthy alias Sinna Jeya was in-charge of finance and money laundering.

Ranjan and four others were apprehended after questioning the first group pf 14 who were arrested in April. Though Ranjan was keeping a low profile, French police were monitoring the activities of the LTTE’s second rung, after nabbing the top leaders.

French police officers informed the courts that they had uncovered large number of documents from several LTTE offices and other front organizations and it would take several months to examine all the evidence. It is also known that if the suspects were released on bail it would hamper investigations and it would be difficult to get witnesses as the LTTE is well known for intimidation of hostile witnesses.