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| India-Pakistan |
| Two more live rockets, accessories seized off Rameswaram coast |
| 2006-12-11 |
| RAMESWARAM: The Indian Navy on Sunday seized two more live rockets and accessories near the coast off Rameswaram. This is the second seizure within four days. Navy personnel recovered the rockets from a boat (RMS 2935) near the second islet well within the Indian waters at 5 a.m. when they were conducting random checks of fishing boats. Area Commander (South) and Officer-in-Charge, Naval Detachment, Rameswaram, U.C. Barman, told The Hindu that the personnel who intercepted the boat and sought the registration certificate and licence from fishermen, found two wooden boxes with the live rockets. They were brought to the Naval Detachment at 5.30 a.m. on Sunday. The fishermen said that they had netted the rockets at the second islet around 11.30 p.m. on Saturday. A Navy party, including intelligence personnel, inspected the spot where the rockets were netted. The rockets were packed in two wooden boxes, along with cartridges and propellant materials. The rockets were two-and-half-foot long and half-a-foot wide. The details of their dimension, usages and technical information were found in the paper pasted inside the wooden box. Mr. Barman said there was not much difference between the rocket seized on Tuesday and Sunday's seized rockets. They could be among the same lot. Though the fishermen pleaded innocence, they would be interrogated. Ballav Biswal, Executive Officer, Naval Detachment, said a detailed report had already been sent to the Naval State headquarters in Chennai. The details of the rockets particularly the manufacturer and place of manufacture would be known only after proper examination. Asked whether the rockets were meant for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealem, Mr. Barman said nothing could be ruled out. Experts at the Naval Armament Depot at Visakapattinam were examining the rocket seized a few days ago. Further details would have to await the team's findings, he added. |
| Posted by:john |
| #1 Tamils smuggling arms to their friends in Sri Lanka? |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2006-12-11 21:35 |