INFLUENTIAL BANGALORE NEWSPAPER DECAN HERALD SAYS LTTE NETWORK IN INDIA SHOULD BE NIPPED IN THE BUD NOW

By Walter Jayawardhana

In an editorial entitled “The LTTE network must be destroyed immediately, ”the Bangalore based influential South Indian newspaper Decan Herald in the strongest terms said, the group “cannot be allowed to set up shop here again. Its network should be nipped in the bud now.”

The editorial said by allowing them in India in the past it waged war in Sri Lanka and carried out terrorist attacks on the soil of India.

Pointing out that this is of concern not only for Sri Lanka but also for India the Herald said reports in recent months pointed to possible links of Indian insurgent groups and Tamil Tigers.

The editorial strongly argued that selling medicine and fuel to the LTTE could be profitable for some of the Tamil Nadu locals but they must be made to understand that it is undermining the security of the country. The following is the full text of the editorial:

“There has been a worrying spurt in trafficking of weapons and explosives by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) through India ’s territorial waters. Last week, Indian Coast Guard officials intercepted a boat off the Tamil Nadu coast.

The boat was carrying a suicide bomb vest, a rifle, ammunition, grenades and chemicals. Subsequent investigations revealed that the boat was lined with hundreds of kg of explosives. The boat is believed to have been on a suicide mission in Sri Lanka , when it apparently strayed into Indian waters.

Over the past week at least three other boats carrying metallic bars, rings and firing pins have been seized off the Tamil Nadu coast. Some weeks ago, police intercepted trucks carrying around a huge quantity of ball bearings purchased by the LTTE. Obviously, the consignments of arms and explosives are going towards fuelling the LTTE’s war effort. And with the fighting in Sri Lanka growing in ferocity, this flow of weapons is likely to increase.

“This is an issue of concern not only for Sri Lanka but also for India . The boat that was seized last week had enough explosives to destroy a port, prompting Coast Guard officials to destroy it to avoid any untoward incident. Reports in recent months have pointed to possible links between the LTTE and Indian insurgent groups. Maoist groups are said to have procured rocket launchers and shells from the Tigers.

“The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have stepped up surveillance along the Tamil Nadu coast to prevent infiltration by the Tigers. Patrol craft and aerial surveillance has been increased to this end. The government must rope in the fishing community as well as locals living along the coast in its efforts to prevent infiltration and trafficking of weapons.

Selling medicine and petrol to the Tigers and helping in transport of arms is a hugely profitable business but locals should be made aware that this is illegal and undermining the security of the country. The LTTE established a solid network in Tamil Nadu in the 1980s, which helped it to secure supplies and sanctuary here. This enabled it to wage war in Sri Lanka and carry out terrorist attacks on Indian soil. It cannot be allowed to set up shop here again. Its network should be nipped in the bud now.”