Tweet
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/00 ... 291733.htm
Sri Lankan forces seize crude submarine from LTTE
Colombo (PTI): Smashing through LTTE's last positions, Sri Lankan forceson Thursday seized a submarine-type craft from Tamil Tigers-held area revealing that the outfit was probably the only terrorist organisation in the world which possessed such a capability.
Troops stumbled upon the submarine during search operations in the village Udayarakattu, an Army spokesman said. Along with the sub-surface craft, the Lankan forces also seized two naval crafts and a single person craft, which could have been used in suicide attacks by 'Sea Tigers'.
"This was the most startling recovery made by troops so far during the ongoing operations against the LTTE," the Defence Ministry said in a report on its website. "With this discovery the LTTE will go down in the history as the first terrorist organization to develop underwater weapons," it said.
It was not known whether the submarine was indigenous or had been assembled from parts procured clandestinely from abroad. Only a handful of advanced countries have the capability and know-how to manufacture submarine. So far, in the military offensive Lankan forces have seized a number of mine-producing factories as well as establishments which were making light weapons and even mortars.
Three suicide boats and a large haul of LTTE maritime equipment were also found at the location, the Ministry quoted sources as saying. The Army also seized other vessels owned by the LTTE as it forces its way into the remaining strongholds of the Tamil Tigers in the island's northern region.
Sri Lankan forces seize crude submarine from LTTE
Colombo (PTI): Smashing through LTTE's last positions, Sri Lankan forceson Thursday seized a submarine-type craft from Tamil Tigers-held area revealing that the outfit was probably the only terrorist organisation in the world which possessed such a capability.
Troops stumbled upon the submarine during search operations in the village Udayarakattu, an Army spokesman said. Along with the sub-surface craft, the Lankan forces also seized two naval crafts and a single person craft, which could have been used in suicide attacks by 'Sea Tigers'.
"This was the most startling recovery made by troops so far during the ongoing operations against the LTTE," the Defence Ministry said in a report on its website. "With this discovery the LTTE will go down in the history as the first terrorist organization to develop underwater weapons," it said.
It was not known whether the submarine was indigenous or had been assembled from parts procured clandestinely from abroad. Only a handful of advanced countries have the capability and know-how to manufacture submarine. So far, in the military offensive Lankan forces have seized a number of mine-producing factories as well as establishments which were making light weapons and even mortars.
Three suicide boats and a large haul of LTTE maritime equipment were also found at the location, the Ministry quoted sources as saying. The Army also seized other vessels owned by the LTTE as it forces its way into the remaining strongholds of the Tamil Tigers in the island's northern region.