The Janes’s Defence Weekly said it was in a position to confirm the LTTE made at least one attempt to transport a consignment of artillery rounds by air to rebel-controlled areas in the Wanni.
It said commercial satellite imagery obtained by Jane's confirmed that between 2004 and 2007, the rebels constructed two airstrips that could handle aircraft capable of transporting weapons’ cargo from Central or Southeast Asia.
“While the imagery does not confirm the airstrips are in use, the investment of significant resources suggests the LTTE has developed facilities that can serve air logistic needs at a critical time in its three-decade war with the Sri Lankan State,” the reputed defence website said.
It said since the effective resumption of the conflict in 2006, the LTTE lost control of the Eastern Province with its forces slowly pushed back in the north and as such the LTTE's priority must now be to ensure a continued supply of arms and ammunition to prevent further defeats.
“Given this situation and having suffered heavy losses to its ocean-going smuggling fleet, the LTTE now appears to be preparing to fly in supplies to its stronghold in northern Sri Lanka,” the website said. However when contacted by Daily Mirror Air Force spokesman Janaka Nanayakara said there was no possibility of the LTTE airlifting weapons from another country as the radars in Sri Lanka would have detected any such movement.
He said there no reports of the Tigers transporting weapons by air even between LTTE-controlled locations in the North.
Following last year’s LTTE air raids India stepped up surveillance to prevent the LTTE carrying out aerial attacks on Indian nuclear facilities.
Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona was also quoted last year as saying there was a possibility of the LTTE carrying out air strikes on Indian nuclear installations and ships in the Indian Ocean.
The LTTE usually used sea routes to transport weapons and had often been attacked by the Navy with large scale destruction of weapons cargo in the process.
DM
It said commercial satellite imagery obtained by Jane's confirmed that between 2004 and 2007, the rebels constructed two airstrips that could handle aircraft capable of transporting weapons’ cargo from Central or Southeast Asia.
“While the imagery does not confirm the airstrips are in use, the investment of significant resources suggests the LTTE has developed facilities that can serve air logistic needs at a critical time in its three-decade war with the Sri Lankan State,” the reputed defence website said.
It said since the effective resumption of the conflict in 2006, the LTTE lost control of the Eastern Province with its forces slowly pushed back in the north and as such the LTTE's priority must now be to ensure a continued supply of arms and ammunition to prevent further defeats.
“Given this situation and having suffered heavy losses to its ocean-going smuggling fleet, the LTTE now appears to be preparing to fly in supplies to its stronghold in northern Sri Lanka,” the website said. However when contacted by Daily Mirror Air Force spokesman Janaka Nanayakara said there was no possibility of the LTTE airlifting weapons from another country as the radars in Sri Lanka would have detected any such movement.
He said there no reports of the Tigers transporting weapons by air even between LTTE-controlled locations in the North.
Following last year’s LTTE air raids India stepped up surveillance to prevent the LTTE carrying out aerial attacks on Indian nuclear facilities.
Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona was also quoted last year as saying there was a possibility of the LTTE carrying out air strikes on Indian nuclear installations and ships in the Indian Ocean.
The LTTE usually used sea routes to transport weapons and had often been attacked by the Navy with large scale destruction of weapons cargo in the process.
DM
, serves them right 
