ERASING THE EELAM VICTORY Part16 F Pt 2.
Posted on March 27th, 2022

KAMALIKA PIERIS

By 2002, LTTE had an army (the ground forces), navy (the Sea Tigers), air force (the Air Tigers), and the LTTE intelligence wing (the Tiger Organization Security Intelligence Service, (TOSIS).

The LTTE intelligence wing, known as the Tiger Organization Security intelligence Service (TOSIS) was formed in December 1983 and was originally based in
Chennai. In 1993, TOSIS was divided into two divisions, the national intelligence division and the military intelligence service.

The national intelligence division had five departments: 1) the intelligence gathering section headed by Kapil Ammam who was also the deputy chief of intelligence, 2) the research and publications department headed by Maathavan master, 3) the special operations department led by Janan master which included the Black Tigers suicide unit 4) the training and technology department commanded by Aathavan master, and 5) the administrative department under Shankar.

The military intelligence division had five known departments: the special reconnaissance department initially headed by Charles and later by Irathinam Ammam, the administrative department supervised by Sashi master, and three military intelligence gathering units for the LTTE army, navy and air force.

LTTE developed a Sea Wing and Air Wing in addition to its ground level fighters.  The Sea Tigers consisted of male and female soldiers, and numbered between 2,000 and 4,000 members. The main Sea Tiger bases were at Mullaitivu and Mannar.

the Sea Tigers were organized into 12 sections:1) the sea battle regiments, which were deployed for all surface battles requiring marine weapons, 2) underwater demolition teams, 3) Sea Tiger strike groups, 4) the marine engineering and boat building team, 5) the radar and telecommunications unit, 6) the marine weapons armory and dump group, 7) the maritime school and academy,  which trained the Sea Tigers, 8) the recruiting section, 9) the political, finance, and propaganda section, 10) the reconnaissance team and intelligence section, 11) the welfare and registry section (caring for the families of cadres), and 12) the Exclusive Economic Zone – Maritime Logistics Support Team (EEZ-MLST).

LTTE’s Black Sea Tiger suicide commando unit  was established in 1990 and was thought to contain between 100-200 fighters. Black Tigers reportedly underwent a six-month period of arduous and specialized training at a secret place known as Red Garden” in the Mullaitivu forest.

Like the Black Tiger ground forces, the Black Sea Tigers were also
established because the LTTE did not have sufficient heavy weaponry to counter the Sri
Lankan Navy’s heavily-armed, Israeli-built Dvoras and Super Dvoras. As these vessels were
able to absorb heavy punishment, the LTTE opted to destroy them by triggering massive
explosions. To do this, the Black Sea Tigers used small boats packed with explosives to ram
into their targets under the cover of fire from other boats. Sri Lankan supply vessels and
troop carriers were also targeted in this manner.

LTTE had an active ‘navy’ with a large number of 25 foot arrow type fast attack craft. These had powerful Japanese built 200 horse power outboard mortars, radar and communication equipment. These had been smuggled in.  ‘Indumathi’, a 16 metre long wave rider class boat, had a mounted twin-barrel anti-aircraft weapon and multi purpose machine guns. LTTE also had pedal type suicide boats and stealth craft laden with explosives. Troops   unearthed  a  cache of  35 high speed boat engines and water scooters laden with explosives, a low profile flat bottom boat and a boat powered by three outboard motors, designed to evade radar and reach the north eastern coast   

LTTE was clearly preparing for a massive sea battle, said analysts. Torpedoes, mini submarines and huge boats fitted with 2500 kg of explosives were found at Chalai, Puthumathalan and Vellamullivaikkal.  Two huge torpedoes with launchers were recovered from Puthukudiyiruppu area, ready to attack a ship. The Navy wanted to know who purchased these and how were they brought into Sri Lanka? Under international law only governments can purchase torpedoes.

LTTE was also manufacturing underwater fighting craft.  Four submarines were found in an ultra secret factory at Puthukudiyiruppu. One was 35 feet long, fitted with armour plates.  The other three were at an experimental stage. A submarine found in Mullativu    was 24 feet in length, 4.5 feet in height and 4 feet wide. It had four cylinder engines and a GPS system. It could transport three people at once. Government wanted Interpol to find out how such advanced equipment from Switzerland and Norway came to be fitted into these submarines.  Sri Lanka defence authorities asked Interpol to investigate how the LTTE had got down technological advanced equipment made in Switzerland and Norway fitted to their submarines discovered recently.

Had the war lasted a little longer, these submersibles would have posed a grave threat to the Trinco-KKS supply route.   LTTE also tried to plant mines in the sea.    Limpet mines, pressure mines for use at sea and closed circuit diving equipment     have been recovered.

The LTTE had an Air Wing .This was unique among terrorist organizations. Air Tigers’ were added to the ‘Sea Tigers ‘and ‘Sea Pigeons’.

The LTTE formally established its air force in 1995 although preparations to develop Tiger air capabilities allegedly began as early as 1984 when guerrilla cadres began joining flying schools in the United Kingdom and France. LTTE pilots are thought to have trained at flying clubs in France and the United Kingdom, and Tamil expatriates associated with foreign airlines are believed to have provided additional assistance. Tamilini said the air wing was started by Colonel Shankarappa, an aeronautical engineer, who had come from London to join the LTTE.

LTTE started a rudimentary ‘air force’ consisting of small, fixed wing aircraft. In the mid 1980s, LTTE acquired Microlights (i.e., ultra-lightweight aircraft) and at least two US-built Robinson R44 helicopters.    ‘LTTE secretly got down three Czech built Zlin 143 planes from South Africa. They were allegedly smuggled in from a flying club in South Africa. These arrived by ship in knocked down condition and were brought ashore in   large trawlers. LTTE’s naval wing had shipped propeller planes piece by piece from Indonesia.

Troops later found spare aircraft accessories   buried in a coconut grove in Theravikulam, Puthukkudiyiruppu, neatly wrapped in polythene. Spares were also found in a container in Wellamulliwaikal- Ampalawanpokkanai area. Skeletal parts of a helicopter were found in Waddaikachchi.

High technical data on Sri Lanka ‘s airports and air force bases, including maps and manuals of sophisticated aircraft were found hidden in a massive LTTE arms and ammunition dump at Puthukkudiyiruppu. 23 runway lights, flying maps, and aircraft towing carrier were also found hidden in the area.

LTTE built seven airstrips   .There was one runway in Chundikulam, another in Kilinochchi and two in Mankulam. One airstrip near Iranamadu was in thick jungle, surrounded by a line of fortified bunkers and trenches.  The other was 1 km long and 200 meters wide. The airstrip in Mullativu was the largest. It had been constructed using heavy machinery and could accommodate large aircraft. Sri Lanka air force mounted several attacks on the airstrips near the A9 road, to prevent LTTE   aircraft attacks and to stop ammunition coming in by air.  (Continued)

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