Major calamity averted in Colombo

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

A major calamity was averted in Colombo when a person carrying a deadly suicide jacket was arrested by a joint army-police patrol on a tip off yesterday, at Mabola, Wattala, Police Media Spokesman DIG. N. Illangakoon told a press briefing at the Media Centre in Colombo.

Following the arrest, police recovered two suicide jackets, five bombs, five detonators, several remote control devices and other appliances.

The detection was made owing to the co-operation extended by the public. An informant tipped off the joint army police patrol.

More details could not be revealed due to ongoing investigations. "Obviously the suspect was taking the suicide jacket somewhere else," Senior DIG said.

Referring to the Independence Day celebrations, he said, a massive security operation has been mounted in Colombo with the help of the Defence Ministry to avert any incidents.

Security in Colombo has been beefed up,with the deployment of the Armed Services and police personnel, he said.

The Senior DIG said that Civil Defence Committees have been set up in the Western Province to keep an eye on suspicious parcels and bombs that are found in buses.