Three killed and seventeen injured in LTTE terrorist attack- Katunayake

A light wing air craft manned by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE), terrorists carried out a deliberate attack at the SL Air Force Base at Katunayake, killing three and injuring seventeen SLAF personnel, during the wee hours on Monday the 26th of March. According to the Air Force officials two bombs were dropped at the SLAF Aeronautical Engineering Wing (AEW) at Katunayake. The sources further added that no damages to fighter craft were caused due to the terrorist attack. Speculation are made that the raid was carried out through a light wing air craft similar to hand gliders which could be assembled with minimum labour.

Meanwhile, MCNS officials stated that the injured personnel were immediately transferred to the General Hospital at Negombo. Defence sources said that all measures were taken to tighten the security in the area, while statements added that no security threat prevailed to the commercials flights and passengers at the Bandaranayke International Airport at Katunayake, which is situated in close proximity to the SLAF base.

The BIA officials said that passenger terminals are functioning normally since 03.30a.m, today(26), after the area was cleared off following successive cordon and search operations. Earlier few commercial flights were diverted to destinations at Chennai and Malai air ports, until the area was cleared with guarantee to passenger safety.

Defence officials further added that the situation was brought under total control, amidst LTTE attempts to target high profile installation to lift its demoralizing war craze. The LTTE terrorists carried our a similar predawn attack at the Katunayake air base, on 24 July 2001, which set heights to the Al-Qaeda's terrorist air attack at World Trade Centre buildings on 11th September, 2001 in the United States of America.