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Sri Lanka blackout on Air Force losses
Tuesday, 27 March 2007 - 6:16 AM SL Time
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Sri Lanka`s President held an emergency meeting of the country`s security leadership Monday as the government imposed a total blackout on the Liberation Tigers` bombing raid on Katunayake, the island`s main airbase in the early hours. Whilst the government says only two helicopter gunships were slightly damaged, airmen coming off duty told reporters in Colombo that several SLAF jet bombers were put out of action by fierce fires which broke out in the hangars struck by the LTTE aircraft. Up to 40% of the SLAF`s strike capability has been knocked out, they said.
Residents near the airbase which shares a runway with the island`s sole international airport said security had been greatly increased in the area.
During the day Monday journalists were kept away from the airbase by heavily armed air force troops who searched surrounding areas with dogs.
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials who attempted to visit the Air Force base Monday to initiate inquiries into the attack were refused access to the site by top Air Force officials, an SLMM spokesman told the Daily Mirror.
SLMM spokesman Thorfinur Omarsson said the monitors however managed to visit the injured at the Negombo hospital and would make another attempt to visit the air base Tuesday stressing it was important that access is granted for the monitors to rule on the incident.
Meanwhile, only two propeller-driven Pucara ground attack aircraft and a seaplane took off from Katunayake all day Monday.
A significant section of the SLAF`s jet bomber fleet, including several Israeli-made Kfirs are based at Katunayake.
At least six Kfirs were housed in the hangers bombed by two LTTE aircraft in the early hours Monday.
The LTTE bombs had triggered fires and secondary explosions in the hangars, airmen who came off duty Monday told reporters.
The Sri Lankan government has played down the attack saying only two bombs dropped by the LTTE aircraft exploded.
But several press reports in the early hours quoted residents being woken by at least four loud blasts followed by gunfire.
Tourists in the international terminal speaking to international agencies also reported a series of loud explosions amid gunfire.
In an analysis comment for rediff.com, B. Raman, a former counter-terrorism chief of India`s intelligence service, RAW, said that the LTTE airstrike had damaged or destroyed several aircraft.
`Two helicopters, reportedly given by Pakistan, were badly damaged. There was also some damage to the Israeli aircraft of the Sri Lankan Air Force,` he wrote.
The bombing raid by two LTTE aircraft coincided with a Gala musical function being held by Sri Pagnananda Maha Vidyalaya school, located 2 km west of the airport.
Students were lighting firecrackers at the event, which was being attended by several airmen, when the bombs had struck the airbase.
Indiscriminate firing by panicked security personnel in the wake of the explosions had led to a number of friendly fire incidents, with casualties, airmen also said.
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AnuD
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 27 Mar 2007 00:24:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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The LTTE yesterday claimed that ?Colonel? Shankar alias Vythialingam Sornalingam, an ex-aeronautical engineer with Air Canada with an engineering degree in aeronautics from Hindustan Engineering College in Tamil Nadu formed the Air Tigers.
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Imperator
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 27 Mar 2007 00:26:56 GMT Report for Abuse
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More than 24 hours after the incident, and Tamilnut is still harping on as if Prabha has just won the Powerball jackpot.
Looks like they really have a point to prove. |
AnuD
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27 Mar 2007 00:28:00 GMT Report for Abuse
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How come two planes dropped only four bombs.
How about, the unexploded bombs as claimed by air force men.
Any secondary explosions because of the fires. For example, even gas canister can explode as a secondary fire. |
AnuD
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27 Mar 2007 00:30:08 GMT Report for Abuse
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The result of this will be Diaspora will give money.
More arms shipments will reach the SL coasts.
SL make them tactically withdraw to the sea bottom. |
Thambi
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27 Mar 2007 00:31:33 GMT Report for Abuse
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Wow - !
PUNNAKKU to sinhalas including AnuD ! |
AnuD
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27 Mar 2007 00:32:53 GMT Report for Abuse
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All my Brave Vanni soldiers:
We have destroyed the SLAF! SLAF will never bomb us again!
Here after SLAF won't kill any of your WIVES (COWS and GOATS).
Your ONLY Leader
Pabakaran. |
Thambi
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27 Mar 2007 00:34:42 GMT Report for Abuse
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| If the damage is minimum the first thing we would have expected from GoSL , on its own they would have brought to all foreign journalists to the site to do the damage control about the attack . |
Thambi
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27 Mar 2007 00:36:09 GMT Report for Abuse
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AnuD
believe it or more than 40% terrorizing machines are
out of service . |
Damed
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 27 Mar 2007 00:36:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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It's a bitter security lap for SLAF,also a intelligence mishap.
Guys should shore more practical views.
Weapons will not work automatically without more and more war drills.
Nad to see a bunch of rats from two least developed provinces licking 18 million monkeys.
Its time to erase CFA.
Edited By - Damed - 27 Mar 2007 00:38:11 GMT |
AnuD
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27 Mar 2007 00:37:15 GMT Report for Abuse
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Thambi:
If the damage is minimum the first thing we would have expected from GoSL , on its own they would have brought to all foreign journalists to the site to do the damage control about the attack .
That is right. Then ALL the LTTE moles will take photographs. So that the second attack will be successful. |
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