LTTE attack caused Antonov crash in 2000 - police
March 26, 2012 04:31 pm
The Antonov aircraft which crashed in Anuradhapura in March 2000, while transporting several security personnel, was the result of a missile attack carried out by LTTE cadres, it has been uncovered, police said today.
Transporting security personnel and police officers from Jaffna to Colombo, the Antanov aircraft crashed into a jungle in the Weera Wewa area in Anuradhapura on March 30, 2000, killing all of its passengers as well as four Russian pilots.
It was believed that the crash had been caused by a technical fault of the aircraft.
However, extensive interrogation of two LTTE suspects, arrested a few days back in Kilinochchi, had revealed that they had in fact fired a ground-to-air missile, from the Wilpattu forest area, directed at the aircraft causing it to crash.
Two shell casings of the missiles used in the attack have also been discovered, police media spokesman SP Ajith Rohana stated.
The case has been reopened while both suspects are to be produced before the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court on April 23.
The Terrorist Investigations Division (TID) is conducting further investigations.
Transporting security personnel and police officers from Jaffna to Colombo, the Antanov aircraft crashed into a jungle in the Weera Wewa area in Anuradhapura on March 30, 2000, killing all of its passengers as well as four Russian pilots.
It was believed that the crash had been caused by a technical fault of the aircraft.
However, extensive interrogation of two LTTE suspects, arrested a few days back in Kilinochchi, had revealed that they had in fact fired a ground-to-air missile, from the Wilpattu forest area, directed at the aircraft causing it to crash.
Two shell casings of the missiles used in the attack have also been discovered, police media spokesman SP Ajith Rohana stated.
The case has been reopened while both suspects are to be produced before the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court on April 23.
The Terrorist Investigations Division (TID) is conducting further investigations.
