Defence Ministry to investigate information on purported May 18 LTTE attack
COLOMBO – India’s intelligence services have informed Sri Lanka that investigations will be carried out into reports of a planned attack in Sri Lanka by the separatist Tamil Tigers on May 18, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement Sunday (15), adding that Sri Lanka too will carry out its own investigations.
The statement was in response to a report in The Hindu newspaper which quoted Indian intelligence services warning of an allegedly planned attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE), which Sri Lanka’s government forces defeated in 2009 ending Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war.
May 18, the day the attack is reportedly expected to take place, marks the end of the war.
The defence ministry said that upon inquiring about the report, the Indian intelligence services had clarified that the information had been given as ‘general information’ and had assured investigations will be carried out in this regard and action will be taken to inform Sri Lanka about it.
The defence ministry assured all information received by the intelligence and security forces in connection with national security will be duly investigated and all necessary steps will be taken to strengthen the security. It also said respective security forces will also be kept informed.
The Hindu on Saturday (14), quoting intelligence sources, reported that ex-LTTE cadre were “regrouping to launch attacks” in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan defence ministry dismissed the report as ‘completely baseless’, noting Sri Lanka had not
received any intelligence warning of such a security threat.
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