{IMG:599}Kayts: The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) says Police have uncovered a haul of arms and ammunition hidden inside the Amman Kovil at Velanithurai in the Kayts Island. The items were found during a combined search operation carried out by Navy and Police personnel on Wednesday morning.
According to the MCNS, the deadly weapons were carefully concealed above the statues of Hindu gods by the LTTE terrorists. Two priests of the temple were also taken to the police custody. Acting on a civilian tip-off police carried out the search.
One Claymore mine three anti personnel mines 900g of C-4 High explosives, 150 T-56 live ammunition, 24 Electric detonators three IEDs (1 kg each) three Fuses, one Military pack were among the weapons recovered.
Meanwhile, the civilians and religious leaders express their utter contempt over the LTTE for depraving religious places for their sinister deeds. A Hindu priest speaking in anonymity told defence. lk correspondent in Jaffna that the LTTE have threatened many a religious leader in the area to assist their operations.
“Now, the LTTE cadres cannot operate amongst civilians anymore. If they are seen, the civilians do not hesitate to report to the security forces. It is why they have chosen religious places as their hideouts”, he further added.
Recently, when Naval troops were about to enter the Amman Kovil Puliyankadak premises to conduct a search operation the LTTE cadres opened fire from inside the Temple.
A search operation was conducted on information received from a civilian. Five LTTE cadres who were inside the Kovil were killed in the confrontation including the LTTE leader of the Jaffna Islands. The Navy recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the Kovil premises.
Last March, Father Emilius Pillai of the Madu Church accused the LTTE of continuously kidnapping children and youth among displaced people taking refuge in the Madu church premises, despite repeated warnings not to do so.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/05/04/sec02.asp
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