Biggest haul of explosives found

C4 type explosives detected in a house at Negombo:

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

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A major catastrophe at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and the Air Force Base at Katunayake was averted following the biggest haul of C4 type explosives detected in a house at Negombo, police sources told the Sunday Observer.

The sources said LTTE operatives were planning to detonate the explosives at the BIA or at the Air Force Base at Katunayake targeting the Kafir jet planes used for bombing LTTE hideouts in the Wanni area.

Police said the explosives were to be transported in a vehicle to the airport or to the Air Force for the attack.

Police Media Spokesman, SSP Ranjith Gunesekera said it was the largest haul of explosives detected in recent times in the Western Province following an arrest of a Sri Lankan who arrived in the country from Malaysia recently. The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) under the SSP Negombo Division, Premasiri Vithana received the tip off on the Sri Lankan who arrived from Malaysia.

The SIU traced the suspect at a house in the Negombo area under his directions.

After the suspect was interrogated he revealed to the police that he was involved in LTTE activities.

Following the suspect's confession the SIU team took in for questioning another suspect involved in LTTE activities.

Thereafter, police found the haul of explosives buried in a five-foot pit inside the room of a house at Rosie Street, Negombo. The C4 explosives weighing 152.5 kilogrammes were packed in 18 packets and concealed in a blue barrel.

A suicide jacket weighing 2.5 kilos, along with two night vision goggles, antennaes and the telephone with a remote control device and detonators were also found.

Police took into custody six persons following the discovery of the explosives. Police are conducting further investigations under the direction of SSP Negombo Division Premasiri Withana.