Security in North-East tightened after unearthing assassination plot

Security in North and East has been tightened since last Thursday following the arrest of six prominent former LTTE cadres on charges of planning to assassinate a prominent Tamil politician in the North, informed sources said.

They said earlier this week, Military intelligence and Terrorist Investigations Department jointly raided a safe house in the North and found some latest communication equipment and a stock of powerful explosives.

The sources said, initially, an ex-LTTE cadre who is currently holding a German passport was taken into custody and later the remaining suspects were arrested after the raid on the safe house.

Preliminary investigations revealed that former LTTE leaders and supporters, who were residing in western and south East Asian countries had provided financial assistance to the group.

“These members had undergone special training on the use of high explosives as well,” an official said and that financial and other support had been given by former LTTE leaders in Malaysia and India.

Official sources confirmed to Daily Mirror yesterday that Sri Lanka law enforcement authorities were to seek assistance of foreign intelligence agencies to unearth the latest terrorist network.

“As a precautionary measure we have strengthened security especially in the North and East following the latest development,” official sources said. (Sunil Jayasiri)