Support vital to ensure security

The LTTE's stoic silence even after their defeat in the entire Eastern Province sends a clear message to the public that they should keep a hawk eye on what takes place in their surroundings.

Understandably, the morale of the LTTE members has sunk after their humiliating defeats in Mavil Aru, Sampur, Vakarai and Thoppigala. Hence, a merciless terrorist leader such as Velupillai Prabhakaran is capable of taking revenge by targeting innocent civilians in the South.

Be they Sinhalese, Muslims or his own Tamil community, Prabhakaran cares less when it comes to fulfilling his organisation's personal goals. Killing Tamils and their moderate leaders is nothing new to Prabhakaran who is now trapped in the Wanni and Mullaitivu jungles.

Hence, the baffling silence on the part of the LTTE is an indication that the outfit is getting ready to create another calamity in the South. The incidents which unfolded during the past few weeks show that the LTTE is trying to stage such 'operations' in the South.

Moreover, the LTTE has been unable to disrupt civil life in Colombo and other parts of the South in recent times. Having lost their strategic Thoppigala jungle, the LTTE's last bastion in the East, the barber turned political wing leader of the LTTE, S. P. Thamilchelvan has vowed to target economic targets in the South. In saying so, he referred not only to the Colombo Harbour, International Airport, Main Telecommunication Exchange, Oil Installation and Central Bank but also made an indirect reference to where crowds gather.

The LTTE has made history of taking civilian targets to bring pressure on successive Governments. There had been innumerable incidents in the past, including the infamous Pettah Bus Stand bomb, where the LTTE took on civilian targets.

The LTTE explodes a bomb or two at public places to change public thinking and divert the people's attention. They feel such a situation would diminish the Security Forces anticipated drive towards their remaining bases in the Wanni and Mullaitivu.

Though the Tigers have not made these utterances openly to evade international pressure, the LTTE has been targeting civilian or economic targets over the past one year but they have been unable to cause big devastation.

This is mainly due to the unflagging vigilance of our valiant Security Forces. The Colombo City Security Plan is so well-knit that it is not easy for the Tigers to penetrate the strong security blanket. On the other hand, public vigilance has been stepped up and several explosive-laden lorries have been detected. The detections and vigilance by the Security Forces and civilians had enabled the authorities to make the Colombo city safer.

Intelligence agencies have been alerted about Tiger plans to create mayhem in the South. In this backdrop the defence authorities have taken steps to intensify security in Colombo and the suburbs in view of possible Tiger infiltration, mainly in the Western, Southern, Central and North Central Provinces.

In the past, the LTTE unleashed their terror acts at regular intervals.

Thanks to our brave Security Forces, Prabhakaran's men have not been able to disrupt the day to day life of the people in the South. The LTTE's successive plans to disrupt Colombo city life have failed miserably.

The Tigers are all out for a series of terror acts in the South so that more troops will have to be deployed in those areas. That would give them a breather or help suspend whatever military operations planned in the North.

With all the LTTE networks coming under the scrutiny of the Security Forces and the police foiling all their earlier attempts to create mayhem in Colombo, the LTTE has now resorted to new tactics in preparation for these operations. The modus operandi of the LTTE is to induct cadres separately in Colombo and the suburbs and transport explosives and weapons to Colombo adopting new strategies.

The detection of the explosive-laden lorry at Kotawehera, Nikaweratiya and the arrest of another explosive-laden freezer truck in Trincomalee explicitly explains the attempts by the ruthless Tigers to create mayhem in Colombo.

There was also an attempt to transport a claymore mine concealed in a petrol tank of a vehicle of a Killinochchi-based Government official. All these incidents indicate that the LTTE is on a mission to accomplish their clandestine operations to create mayhem.

Hence, the Security Forces and the police have a major role to play in protecting the nation and the sovereignty of the country. All of us in the civil society have a greater responsibility to lend 100% support and backing on matters pertaining to national security.

The Security Forces and the police engaged in security, in certain instances have no option but to question, even innocent civilians living in Colombo as it is seemingly difficult to trace the dormant cadres among the civilians. Hence, the cooperation and support of all civilians is a must to ensure security.