Naval intelligence sources reveal that no motorized torpedo units were used by Black Sea Tigers at yesterday's underwater human torpedo attack. They believe the Tiger frogmen/women swam towards A-520 with explosives strapped to their body, possibly from the nearby Kadawana area.
The Tigers had earlier devised improvised limpet mines that can be magnetically attached to a ships hull. yesterday's explosions seem to have come from at least one simultaneous and significant blast underneath the submerged hull of A-520. In that case, limpet mines seem unlikely. It is now believed that explosives strapped to human 'torpedoes' may have been detonated in an underwater-demolition (UDT) type of an attack.
This type of attack is not uncommon. In fact, it had been used several times against immobile vessels, specially around Trincomalee at least one previous occasion. The remains of a female frogwoman who blew-up a gunboat moored at Trincomalee harbour in the 1990s is still on display at the Trincomalee Naval Museum. The woman, four months pregnant at the time, had clung onto the hull of the gunboat and detonated explosives strapped on to her.
Last week, Military Intelligence units in Trincomalee and Batticaloa arrested 18 highly trained Tigers sent to launch devastating attacks (some of which are suicide attacks) prior to, during or after yesterday's Provincial Council elections. A total of 24 such cadres had been sent, 6 of whom were at large by last evening. It is believed that some these cadres may have attacked A-520.
The cadres arrested included females. Some had entered government areas through Omanthai while others have been dropped by boat north of Trincomalee. Some members had posed-off as couples. They have also been tasked to plant claymores and fire RPGs at any given target of opportunity. The cadres had obtained their weapons from weapons dumps in Peraru Jungles that were hidden by retreating LTTE units after the fall of the East.
Trincomalee is under the purview of the Sri Lanka Navy. Military Intelligence (Army) expressed concern that some Naval Intelligence officers in Trincomalee were continuing to obtaining bribes from known Tiger contacts in Trincomalee. They claimed errant officers caught red-handed some time ago were released following the Navy Commander's direct interference.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
A-520, post mortem
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33 comments:
Has the intelligence failure anything to do with the 'animosity' between the navy commander and the army commander?
i hope not.
if the two cannot work together or if the navy commander releases errant officers by direct interference, something is wrong with the system and the commander himslef.
no one can say wheather accepting bribes are a part of their undercover operation,
but what seem to be lacking here is the COORDINATION between the intel. depts of the forces. Its not wise to share at the low level but at least there should be some coordination at the top level. so, before arresting another intel officer from another unit they can confirm whats going on.
They just dont seem to understand this. that the qurels amongst our selves only gives advantage to the enemy.
Ther were more than enough discussion about underwater attacks using scooba gear. but it seems the Navy has not taken enough steps to prevent them.
The Navy and AF has their superiority in Sea and Air. but dont seem to have enough ground capabilities to protect their assets. this is proven by incidents like AAB, and many attacks at the Trinco harbour it self.
Its time they take advice from SF or Commando units before another AAB type thing happens to Navy.
Out of topic. Sorry.
UPFA is going to win. (My prediction)
Once raped by Sri Lankan forces, most women and in some cases men, end up committing suicide. Not surprised by them doing this, while "getting their own back" at the Sri Lankan forces.
If LTTE had begun using some new technology, there would have been some hope of stopping this kind of attacks in the future.
As only a single "suicide diver" was used, the probability of the A521 being sunk in similar way seems very high.
hemantha,
so my prediction was wrong.
but the election was like a premadasa election (1989, 1991). the result is hardly representing ground realities.
but it is good for tamil-muslim-sinhala unity than had the islamic extremists won.
Now that all the Muslims had voted for the losing side, Pillaiyan can begin to get back some of the land Muslims stole from Tamil farmers in Trinco, Batti and Amparai.
In the east, the real victors of Sinhala-Tamil animosity were the Muslims. They even acted as trades middlemen racking is huge profits from sales of essentials.
Today is surely doomsday for Muslims.
High turn out in eastern polls giving a majority to TMVP/UPFA reflects the mentality of ordinary tamils in rejecting violence of LTTE. Eastern tamils seems to be more intelligent than tamils in the north and I am not surprised why the LTTE had them suppressed.
Pillian has achieved something within few months what stupid prebakaran could not achieve for 30 yrs, dragging the tamil nation with him towards destruction.
I am sure he will be a force to reckon in no time, by winning the hearts and minds of tamils all over the world, by providing better health, education and security to the people in east.
Unless of course LTTE MF's come in and mess it up.
Prabakaran=Ranil They both live in a dream land, wouldn't care a dime ven if whole country is destroyed as long as they become the leaders.
peter,
it is not a doomsday for muslims. the second and third highest preferential votes winners from the winning side are muslims.
bump-off pillayan and one of them is the CM.
its the doomsday for rauf wickremasinghe and the crapp TNA.
'Today is surely doomsday for Muslims'
Correction
Today is surely doomsday for LTTE and its supporters.
Go have some Palmyra special brother, you will feel better.
Lol, neither LTTE nor any of its proxies competed in yesterday's elections.
It was going to be UPFA or UNP.
As a Tamil, I would rather have Pillaiyan in power than some Immams.
Results from Kalmunai and Muttur are indications of what the Muslims fear.
TMVP cadres now have official approval to go and get their family lands back from the Muslims.
LTTE or its proxies will never compete in east.
They eastern tamils are more intelligent than nothern counter parts.They will never vote for LTTE or its proxies. They dont have the inferiority complex the LTTE supporters are having.
For that matter LTTE will never win a fair election. One minor reason is that LTTE and its supporters are of the lowest cast among tamils.They will always be looked down by the reat.
"They eastern tamils are more intelligent"
Thanks!
As a northern Tamil, I'm really happy and proud to see our brothers in the east finally free from The Tiger cage.
Now they have to develop their socio-economic base and become a strong force for the whole country.
The muslims who look down at both Singhalese and Tamil should be give the choice to either go back to Arabia or live as a silent minority. They have too much power for what they are worth.
Beign able to conduct an election in the east a victory for tamils and slap on the face of LTTE and the IC.
Ranil and co resorted to such low levels and desperate meassures such as accusing MR of imminent dictatorship, pact with LTTE etc. Didn't work though.
We would soon RAuf jumping the ship yet again leaving Ranil high and dry.
As a singhalese i would like Commander Pilliyan in power.No offense to any ethic group here.NOT ALL muslims are bad people neither are the tamils or sinhalese for that matter but we need to find out who has profitted as "middlemen" here in the eastern province over the years..profiting on the blood of innocent people cannot to tolerated at any cost.
Full credit to military intelligence for catching 18 murderous bastards of an assumed 24ii (i assume a 100).However we have to protect the "human rights" of the 18.It does not matter if they wanted to deprive many innocent people of their human rights.I know we cant put them up in the marriot in toronto..but i wonder if they will settle for accommodations at presidents house..we can build some rooms for them there if necessary.
If Navy persons are caught accepting blood money from the LTTE..ALL their assets should be acquisitioned by the govt and sold to compensate the victims,Their names publicly humiliated in the press and finally executed by firing squad.
peter the LTTE racist and other racists in Sri Lanka,
I would say that it is a great day in my homeland today. We (Sinhala, Tamil, and Moor) have elected somebody with a backbone, determination , and courage to stand up against LTTE racists who want to divide my homeland. I don't care for the race or creed of the CM. I am Sinhala. However, my preference in the East is a Tamil Sri Lankan like Pillaiyan or Karuna. Thanks to our heroic armed forces and their selfless acts to restore peace in my homeland, my wish is a reality today. It is truly a Herculean task to take a piece of LTTE away and help them to run a part of the country under a united Sri Lanka, specially when there is an useless opposition party ever waiting to squander such opportunities. Hopefully, with the help of the people of the East and rest of the patriotic Sri Lankans, Pillaiyan and TMVP will make the East to be a prosporous and peaceful place. Still, we have a fair way to go for me to call this one of our crowning achievements. Yet, it is a great day today in Sri Lanka. Hopefully, this will act as a catalyst for future favorable changes in North as well as dissolution of LTTE terrorists. Well, we have a long way to go but we are on the right course.
Godspeed TMVP and Pillaiyan
Moshe,
"so my prediction was wrong."
You correctly predicted that the majority of the Muslims votes would go for the UNP and the majority of the Tamil votes would go for UPFA. But you completely disregarded the fact that the existence of many Sinhala votes in the districts of Ampara and Trinco and came in to a flawed conclusion (No disrespect meant for you. That is a norm). That is the reason I always insist people to consider all the facts before coming in to conclusions.
The election was too close to call until the Pothuwil results came out. After that it was crystal clear who the winner was.
"but the election was like a premadasa election (1989, 1991). the result is hardly representing ground realities."
I doubt. I agree it wasn't completely free and fair. But I believe it represents the ground realities. Irregularities weren’t wide spread. Read the PAFFREL report. And read the election commissioner’s comments. In 80% of the polling stations no prob. at all.
Some monitoring orgs formed by UNP (just for cry faul purposes) does not give the correct picture I believe. They state few incidents and then generalize them. Not scientific at all.
The Eastern Province used to be the popular hunting ground for the UNP. Land slide victories among all three ethnic communities used to be the norm in the not so distant past. But considering the way of things unfolding, there is a big probability that those are going to remain as fond memories in the past.
During the years of 2002-2005 it had a love affair with LTTE. LTTE was running amok in the east and the Sinhala and Muslim population suffered greatly. It alienated the Sinhala population completely and the Muslim population partially.
Then after the liberation they decided to align with anti Karuna faction forces. In their calculations they assumed that the eastern Tamils are still faithful to LTTE. Nothing could be more wrong. Now they have an enemy named Pillayan who has extreme political powers within the eastern Tamil community. Considering the mega developments going to happen in the east I believe UNP has begun loosing the Tamil community too (If Pillayan plays his cards correctly).
Still the majority of the Muslims are with UNP. But how long would be the million dollar question. Muslim population has no other choice rather than drifting towards where the power is. Coming days would unfold their reactions.
President Rajapaksha gambled and won. Nothing would be able bring him down (politically) other than soaring oil prices.
In the eastern election only 52% have voted other 48% didn't vote; so are they supporting the LTTE ...?
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Mannaar has ordered the displaced Tamil civilians from Musali division in September 2007, to present themselves at the 21-5 SLA Brigade High Quarters at Ilanthaimoaddai, on a village-by-village basis on allocated days, to obtain details of every individual and interrogate them for alleged participation in training given to civilians by the Tigers when their native division was under the control of the Liberation Tigers prior to September 2007. Around 70 families of between 450 to 600 families, all of them displaced from Musali division and living Naanaaddaan, have crossed the Palk Strait to Tamil Nadu during the recent days, according to residents in Naanaaddaan
So when u think about it, Piliyalan achieved what Prabakaran could not achieve for 30 years + countless lives of sri lankans. Not sure if anyone has seen this website, http://www.neweast.lk which details the different projects etc.. being planned. If these are truly implemented and make sure the corruption of our politicians are minimized, the ppl of the east will prosper and inturn whole of Sri Lanka will profit...
And for all you eelam followers, your ceo hasnt produced results in 30 years, maybe its time to restructure...and change ure methods...!
We have seen all this jujubi before. Not only in the east, we have had PC elections in the north as well.
One Varatharajaperumal was "elected" CM, and the Muslims tried hard but only captured 17 seats.
Back then the IPKF thought it could run the PC with rice and paruppu as well. LTTE was confined to Alampil jungles.
20 years on, Mahinda maama is trying the same old trick. You have had so many commanders and strategy changes but the Mahavamsa mindset clearly remains.
"In the eastern election only 52% have voted other 48% didn't vote; so are they supporting the LTTE ...?"
This Shyam bugger is a lying cunt. She begins with a lie and then always build upon it.
In eastern elections 65.72 people voted.
click here.
Usually In this type of an election just 65-70 percent is a norm throughout the country.
The LTTE is not going to be "confined" any more.IF the UNP won the eastern vote(which they were waiting to win)the LTTE would have had the upper hand
Eastern Elections
A victory for both PA and UNP.
hemantha,
you are right i completely disregarded the sinhala factor as i thought they would be equally divided.
i also agree that some local "election monitors" are UNP groups and their generalisations are not at all scientific. Most places has a pefectly peaceful election.
but as during premadasa time, it was a few polling stations that saw malpractices. i doubt these could have changed the overall result.
another point. given the degree of racism that was aroused, there is a chance that some UPFA muslim councilors can jump to the other side.
therefore as SB has said a national PC is needed for the east.
however, this is bullshitt, mate. "That is the reason I always insist people to consider all the facts before coming in to conclusions."
another generalisation like those "election monitors" in calling the election a fraud just because a handful of polling stations had a few incidents.
LOL!!(laughs are intended than offence)
but taken in isolation, i agree with that as well.
Defencwire,
what is the impact of the loss of this ship ? was she loaded with amo/hardware at time of sinking ?
To Kaati,
I as a muslim am really happy about the outcome of the elections. It is wrong to accuse the entire community because of few people. As long as rights of people are respected it doesn't matter who rules east.
Hope this is the beginning of a golden era for a long deprived people of east. and I sincerely hope pillayan would keep his promise of givng back the lands that were confiscated by te tigers.
[In the eastern election only 52% have voted other 48% didn't vote; so are they supporting the LTTE ...?
]
Have you seen the voter participation percentage in elections of western countries?
In some cases... they are even less than 50%... does that mean the people there are 'against' the elections and the democratic system?
Riyaz,
I think CM should be rotated between tamils and Muslims. Something like
1st year: Hisbulla
2nd and 3rd years: Pillayan
4th year: Hisbulla
It looks like that the vote rigging occurred in the District of Batticaloa was more than I thought. It shouldn't have happened. If the boxes are stuffed they are removed when the counting is done. I would like to know weather this procedure is followed or not. Pillayan group has to grow up now. They can't use terrorist tactics forever. Or they should be treated accordingly.
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