LTTE arms smuggling ship seized,brought to Colombo

Sri Lankan Navy has seized another arms carrier- MV Princes Cristina said to be the largest LTTE arms smuggling ship.

The ship that was brought to Colombo Port on Monday is 89m in length and it has been utilized for arms smuggling and human trafficking during the period of war,intelligence sources said.

International intelligence agencies have assisted immense in this regard,Sri Lankan Navy said in a statement.

The seizure came following revelations by the detained LTTE Chief K Pathmanathan alias KP.

Sri Lankan government says it has come to light that the detained LTTE chief owns five ships and 600 unidentified bank accounts which are sought to be frozen.

KP,who was arrested overseas and brought to Colombo in August this year,is considered to be a key custodian of slain LTTE Supremo V Prabakarans wealth.

During interrogation KP had revealed the existence of five ships out of which efforts are on to seize three of them with process being initiated,Defence spokesman and senior cabinet minister Keheliya Rambukwella had told reporters earlier this month.

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Rambukwella said the questioning also brought to light the presence of 600 unidentified bank accounts.

We want to get these accounts frozen, he said while stating the details of the accounts were not known.

Rambukwella said the government was also exploring the possibility of converting the assets and properties of KP into state properties. He said discussions were on with the Attorney General on the issue.

Besides being wanted in connection with Rajiv Gandhi assassination case,the role of KP is also being determined over his involvement in the Sri Lankan Central Bank bombing in 1996 and arms procurement operations oversees for terrorist activities in the country.