Army recovers NTJ t-shirts, weapons in search operations

Extensive cordon and search operations conducted by the Army and its sister services across the country with the assistance of the Police are continuing, Army press release said. 

In Pulmodai, Army troops together with the Navy, STF and Police on Wednesday (02), cordoned a suspicious area in a surprise operation and recovered 89 detonators, 32 pieces of det chords (each 16 inch), 8 Water Gel Tubes, 2 pieces of detonator chargers and a few other warlike items after arresting one suspect. 20 Gajaba Regiment troops of the 622 Brigade under the 62 Division conducted the raid on the location with the support of naval, STF and Police personnel.

Meanwhile, 143 Brigade troops of the 14 Division under the Security Force Headquarters - West in the past 48 hours during their cordon and search operations arrested more than 17 suspects from Kurunegala, Wariyapola, Chilaw, Wanatavilluwa, Puttalam, Madurankuliya, Iranavila, Eluwankulam and Galgamuwa areas.

Those troops recovered 4 vehicle number plates from Madurankuliya and arrested 2 suspects for being unable to furnish the reason for possession of those number plates. They had been kept hidden inside his shop when the troops together with Policemen swooped on the premises. Similarly, troops arrested one Arabic teacher and four others who were  in possession of machetes, 2 swords, several mobile phones, photos taken in Police uniforms, ISIS video clips and literature, etc. All suspects were handed over to the Police for further investigations.

Meanwhile, 12 Division Headquarters troops in Hambantota town and its suburbs recovered 2 swords, placed hidden inside a drinking water well. Similarly, Army troops during cordon and search operations in Moneragala and Hambantota areas found a few Army uniforms, 2 swords and packets of cannabis.

8 Gemunu Watch troops, following intelligence information, entered a Jumma Mosque in Moneragala and took into custody a stock of ISIS literature and a single cab painted in camouflage colours. 3 suspects were arrested and handed over to the Moneragala troops by the Police.

9 Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment, 23 Gajaba Regiment, 18 Gemunu Watch and 3 Sri Lanka National Guard troops of the 121 and 122 Brigades of the 12 Division are currently engaged in these operations on the directions of the General Officer Commanding, 12 Division of the Security Force Headquarters - Central (SFHQ-Cen).

Meanwhile, 11 Division troops in Kandy under the SFHQ-Cen in the past couple of days have been conducting cordon and search operations in the general areas of Kandy, Nawalapitiya, Gampola, Peradeniya, Akurana, Katugastota, Madawala and other areas on the directions of the General Officer Commanding, 11 Division of the SFHQ-Cen.

11 Division troops during those cordon and search operations inspected 603 houses and arrested 27 suspects and recovered two swords, one bore gun with 10 ammunition, one air rifle, three safety fuses, NTJ books and documents, 4 NTJ banners, 17 NTJ T-shirts, 5 NTJ recruiting applications, six fake birth certificates, 6 fake NICs, 11 fake passports, 11 fake vehicle number plates, one fake driving license, six suspicious bank slips, sixteen mobile phones, eighteen sim cards, three memory cards, one motor bike, seventy-six NTJ CDs, four video cameras, fifteen cassette recorders, one lanchakku and two boxes (600) blood collecting syringes, unavailable in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, troops of the Security Force Headquarters - West (SFHQ-West) during Thursday (2) launched 8 cordon and search operations in Ragama, Aluthgama, Weligama, Moratuwa, Kelaniya and suburbs in the past 24 hours.

Major General Sathyapriya Liyanage, Commander, Security Forces - West went to Ragama Basilica Church on Wednesday in order to ensure security to the premises. On his instructions, troops with sniffing dogs inspected the entire premises and cleared the area after deploying more troops.

Furthermore, troops of the 58 Division conducted cordon and search operations in the general areas of Darga Town, Aluthgama, Weligama and Red Cross housing scheme in Moratuwa on Wednesday (02) and arrested eight suspects with a stock of sim cards, forged National Identity Cards, swords, along with 8 suspects. Suspects were handed over to the Police, Army said.

Similarly, Army troops of the Security Force Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E) once again together with the Police conducted one more thorough search in Samanthurai Town area and recovered one binocular, two shot guns, twenty-three rounds of shot gun ammunition, ten shot gun ammunition empty cases, four wire brushes, one cleaning rod, twenty-eight rounds of 16mm ammunition, thirty-one iron balls, four swords, two knives and two axes.