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Colombo, 12 July, (Asiantribune.com): Hidden in the jungles of Vanni a toxicological laboratory of the Tamil Tigers is manufacturing their “special weapon”, as described by Anton Balasingham earlier, to attack the Sri Lankan government forces located in Jaffna – a politico-military centre needed to regain the lost prestige of the LTTE after they were driven out by the Sri Lankan Army in 1995. Prof. Peter Chalk of Queensland University (now attached to Rand Corporation as an expert on terrorism) told an audience in Melbourne that the LTTE is the first known terrorist group to use chemical weapons. Prof. Chalk, a leading expert on Tamil Tigers strategies, said that the Tigers fired a “chemical” into an army camp in one of its early offensives. Ironically, it backfired because the winds brought most of it back and deposited the chemical on the LTTE side. Reports leaking out from Vanni reveal that the LTTE has now increased the potency of this “secret weapon” and also improved the method of delivering it to selected targets. The new chemical weapon is designed to stun the victims. If it is targeted on Sri Lankan Army camps with a total of nearly 40,000 troops, it could easily immobilize the forces, according to informed sources in London. Balasingham has informed groups raising funds in UK that the LTTE is now armed with a "special weapon" to launch its next major assault on Jaffna. As any major offensive against Jaffna is bound to cost the Tigers heavily in manpower their new strategy is to use the “special weapon” that would immobilize the Sri Lankan forces before a counter-offensive could be launched to attack the LTTE. The LTTE objective in using this chemical weapon is to minimize losses to their cadres. Reports from Vanni claim that the Tamil Tigers have almost completed the production of this “special weapon” in sufficient quantities to launch their next offensive. The production was carried out in a toxicological laboratory housed in two floors underground. It is protected by a three-storied building above-ground. Reports also state that this is the tallest building in the Vanni constructed under the direct supervision of Velupillai Prabhakaran. The sources further revealed that technicians and engineers were brought from Punjab, India for the construction. Pro-LTTE Sri Lankan chemical experts and engineers who worked in Western countries are said to be the brains behind the building of the lab as well as the toxicological products. A hedge fund trader from New York who migrated from Vadamarachchy has made generous contribution towards the constructions of the building which would also double as ordnance factory. He is married to a Punjabi. The LTTE was thrown out of Jaffna by the Sri Lankan Army led by Maj-Gen Janaka Perera in 1995. The Tigers withdrew into the jungles of Vanni and since then they have been plotting and planning to recapture Jaffna without success. Both sides are aware that the next war, when it comes, is going to be costly to both sides. With the international forces ranged against them the LTTE is making a bid to make their attack short and swift by engaging in “chemical warfare.” Analysts believe that this is a huge gamble which may backfire on the LTTE. Velupillai Prabhakaran is already on the international list of wanted criminals. A mug shot of his is posted in Interpol list of wanted criminals. India too is facing internal pressures to extradite him for the killing of Rajiv Gandhi. If he resorts to “chemical warfare” he will seal his fate as a war criminal hunted by the international community which has banned such warfare since World War I. Besides, the international community fighting a global war against terror will consider this new “chemical warfare” as opening new leads for other terrorists to follow. LTTE terror technologies (example: suicide kit tied to the body) have been the models for other terrorists to follow. Published on Asian Tribune (http://www.asiantribune.com/)
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