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Sri Lanka to purchase defence equipment from Pakistan
Saturday, 30 December 2006 - 10:09 PM SL Time | | |
IMAGE: Cluster Bomb Explosion
New Delhi, Dec. 31 (PTI): In order to equip itself to fight the LTTE, Sri Lanka has placed orders worth up to USD 100 million from Pakistan for tanks, their ammunition, different kinds of bombs and explosives, fuses, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and armoured vehicles, reports said.
Premier journal Jane`s Defence Weekly and media reports have have confirmed that the arms deal size could go up to USD 200 million in the next 18 months.
Major Colombo newspaper `Island` earlier reported that the Sri Lankan forces needed two UAVs, cluster and fuel air bombs, laser-precision and guided bomb kits, deep penetration bombs, 80MM rockets with fuel explosive warheads, Bakhtar-Shiken anti-tank guided missile launcher, Tandem warhead missiles, radios, mortars and night vision goggles.
The island nation was looking at Pakistan `to significantly strengthen its military capabilities amid the increasing prospect of renewed civil war`, Jane`s said.
As much of these purchases are already in pipeline, reports here suggested a major defence scandal with sources alleging that Pakistan was not only acquiring much of these supplies from Ukraine but also `bribing` Sri Lankan officials.
The reports claimed that crucial components like fuses and certain types of bombs were found to be faulty by the Sri Lankan forces and Pakistan had agreed to take them back.
Regarding the alleged kickbacks, these reports said a major chunk of the sleaze money actually went back to Pakistan.
The reports added that commission or kickbacks paid to defence agents representing Pakistan were as high as 20-25 per cent, with 15-20 per cent going to Sri Lankan officials.
The Pakistanis were sourcing supplies from third countries like Ukraine and re-exporting them to Sri Lanka at inflated costs, the reports said, adding that the alleged kickbacks would amount to about USD 15-20 million.
Referring to the assassination attempt this August against Bashir Wali Mohammad, the Pakistani envoy in Colombo, the `India Daily` had quoted Sri Lankan official spokesman as saying that the LTTE had targeted him because of the increased defence cooperation between the two countries.
Noted security affairs expert B Raman, in a recent article, said the LTTE suspected that the Sri Lankan Air Force officers were being trained by their Pakistani counterparts `with the experience of air-mounted operations against the Baloch freedom fighters`.
Raman, a former Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat said, this training should account for the success of recent air strikes by Sri Lankan Air Force against the LTTE on ground as well as against the LTTE`s Navy.
Regarding the Pakistani envoy who escaped the assassination attempt in mid-August, Raman claimed Mohammad was earlier an active member of the Tablighi Jamaat `which acted as the cover organisation of Pakistani jihadi organisations such as Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen, Harkat-ul- Jihad-al Islami and the Jaish-e-Mohammad
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Source(s)
Rapa/Hindu |
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