Chemical weapon in KLIA and cluster bomb in Vanni

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 February 2017, 22:20 GMT]
AFP reports on Friday, citing Malaysian Police, indicated that the North Korean leader’s estranged half brother was assassinated at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with a lethal nerve agent called VX, manufactured for chemical warfare and listed by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction. As the question comes how the chemical weapon came to Malaysia, AFP cited ‘Sri Lankan’ Terrorism Professor Rohan Gunaratna stationed in Singapore saying that North Korea has previously used diplomatic pouches to smuggle items. The IC, its media and terrorism research outfits, miserably failing in international investigation on how the cluster bomb had reached genocidal Sri Lanka and was deployed against Tamil civilian masses herded into a zone in Vanni in a war upheld by a bandwagon, could only make a poor show on the current crime committed at KLIA, commented Tamil political observers.
Full story >>

Colombo uses chemical weapons: LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 April 2009, 20:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army extensively used chemical weapons on LTTE combatants at Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK) during the weekend, according to Lawrence, a senior commander of the LTTE, who personally encountered the attack and escaped, LTTE sources told TamilNet Tuesday. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Defence Ministry has claimed that it has killed hundreds of Tiger combatants including senior commanders in PTK last weekend. The use of chemical weapons were the suspicion of many who have seen the photographs released by the SL Defence Ministry, but now the accusation comes from the LTTE. The Tiger sources neither confirmed the type of the chemical weapon nor said anything on the casualties claimed by Colombo.
Full story >>

Civilian casualties rise, SLA, SLAF attacks continue on safety zone

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2009, 21:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked Moongkilaa'ru Sunday night around 10:00 p.m. casualty details are not known. Amid reports of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) using cluster munitions fitted to artillery shells in its indiscriminate barrage on civilian refuges, around 13 dead bodies of civilians were recovered Sunday morning in completely burned state, beyond identification, at Moongkilaa'ru in Udaiyaarkaddu within the 'safety zone' announced by the government of Sri Lanka. More than 30 children and elders were killed Saturday alone, reports said. Civilian casualties were mounting also on Sunday.
Full story >>

Indian PM's Special Protection Group personnel arrive in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 09:55 GMT]
70 members of the Indian Special Protection Group (SPG), which provides proximate security to the Prime Minister of India and the members of his immediate family, have arrived in Colombo Sunday for security preparations for the upcoming SAARC summit, diplomatic sources in Colombo said. In addition to the SPG personnel, the Indian government has sought permission from Sri Lanka to bring three naval ships, which will be anchored in the outer-harbour of Colombo during the summit. The sources also added that there will be some air cover as well.
Full story >>

Furore over chemical warheads continues

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 August 2001, 18:30 GMT]
(News Feature) The furore over the Sri Lanka Army's purchase of a thousand units of the RPO-A Shmel infantry flamethrower continued this week as the Sunday Leader published further details of a corruption scandal in which the paper claims Army commander Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle is involved. Last week the SLA initially defended its purchase of the chemical warheads which are said to be internationally banned but then reversed its position, asserting that the Shmel was in fact not a chemical weapon and hence was not banned.
Full story >>

Controversial weapon meant for genocide alleges MP

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 August 2001, 14:26 GMT]
"The Sri Lankan government is going to deploy chemical weapons against the Tamils in the island's north and east. The aim is to annihilate them totally. The use of this dangerous chemical weapon against the Tamil people should be strongly condemned," said Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, Tamil United Liberation Front MP for Batticaloa, addressing legislators who gathered Friday in the Sri Lankan Parliament and decided to press ahead with the no confidence motion against President Kumaratunga's government.
Full story >>

LTTE condemns Sri Lankas purchase of chemical weapons

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 August 2001, 09:17 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in a statement issued from its headquarters in Vanni, northern Sri Lanka today, warned the Kumaratunga government of disastrous consequences if it inducted the recently acquired weapons with chemical warheads into the north-eastern theatre of war.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka acquires ‘banned’ weapons

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 August 2001, 16:19 GMT]
(NEWS FEATURE) The Sri Lanka Army has acquired an infantry weapon with a chemical warhead whose use has been shunned internationally except by Russia due to the risk to civilians, press reports said this weekend. In an expose, the Sunday Leader said that the SLA had spent several million dollars to acquire 1000 units of the shoulder-fired RPO-A Shmel Rocket Launcher, but that amidst bribes sought by the SLA commander, Lt. General Lionel Ballagalle, the weapons delivered were of old stock and may have exceeded their shelf life. The US Defence Intelligence Agency says the weapon’s chemical warhead is toxic and hence dangerous even if it fails to detonate.
Full story >>