WikiLeaks: ‘Fonseka Would Be Able To Get The Status Of The Bushmaster Weapons From Washington’ – Blake To Gota
By Colombo Telegraph -
“The Ambassador noted that Army Chief General Fonseka would be able to get the status of the Bushmasters during his visit to Washington later this month. The Ambassador also urged the GSL to receive at a high level a team from Raytheon coming the week of November 13 to discuss Raytheon’s offer of aerial radars on Beechcraft. Such radars would greatly increase GSL capacity to detect LTTE re-supply efforts several hundred miles offshore. Rajapakse said this was an important visit.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
Bushmaster Weapons
Blake wrote “Rajapakse explained that the LTTE is far stronger than is commonly believed. He cited a November 9 attack by 20 LTTE boats on a seven vessel GSL naval convoy south of Point Pedro off the east coast of Jaffna. The LTTE boats engaged in a pincer action during which they managed to separate two GSL vessels, which LTTE suicide boats then rammed and sank. Admiral Samarasinghe said 5 sailors had been killed, fifteen were missing and presumed dead, and four had been captured by the LTTE. He explained that the action came at a time when the Navy is already stretched thin because it is escorting humanitarian convoys from Colombo to help re-supply Jaffna”
“The Ambassador noted that in initial briefings he had received from the Sri Lankan military when he arrived in September, the GSL had believed they had inflicted heavy losses on the LTTE. How had the LTTE been able to reconstitute capabilities so fast? Rajapakse explained the LTTE had been able to re-supply the parts and other equipment lost, which was why they could now increase their operational tempo. He reiterated the urgent need for Bushmaster weapons so that the LTTE could not outgun the Sri Lankan navy. The Ambassador noted that Army Chief General Fonseka would be able to get the status of the Bushmasters during his visit to Washington later this month. The Ambassador also urged the GSL to receive at a high level a team from Raytheon coming the week of November 13 to discuss Raytheon’s offer of aerial radars on Beechcraft. Such radars would greatly increase GSL capacity to detect LTTE re-supply efforts several hundred miles offshore. Rajapakse said this was an important visit.” he further wrote.
Read the relevant part of the cable below;
VZCZCXRO5470 PP RUEHBI DE RUEHLM #1889/01 3141502 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 101502Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4696 INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6507 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 4564 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3308 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0195 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 3397 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0954 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0287 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2478 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0069 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0150 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 7047 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 4868 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 0082 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1502 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0492 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001889
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR P AND SCA/INS, USPACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS PTER CE
SUBJECT: DEFENSE SECRETARY EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT POSSIBLE
MAJOR LTTE ATTACK
REF: A. COLOMBO 1828
¶B. COLOMBO 1863
¶C. COLOMBO 1884
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
LTTE Stronger Than Perceived --------------------------- ¶3. (C) Rajapakse explained that the LTTE is far stronger than is commonly believed. He cited a November 9 attack by 20 LTTE boats on a seven vessel GSL naval convoy south of Point Pedro off the east coast of Jaffna. The LTTE boats engaged in a pincer action during which they managed to separate two GSL vessels, which LTTE suicide boats then rammed and sank. Admiral Samarasinghe said 5 sailors had been killed, fifteen were missing and presumed dead, and four had been captured by the LTTE. He explained that the action came at a time when the Navy is already stretched thin because it is escorting humanitarian convoys from Colombo to help re-supply Jaffna (ref b). The Ambassador noted that in initial briefings he had received from the Sri Lankan military when he arrived in September, the GSL had believed they had inflicted heavy losses on the LTTE. How had the LTTE been able to reconstitute capabilities so fast? Rajapakse explained the LTTE had been able to re-supply the parts and other equipment lost, which was why they could now COLOMBO 00001889 002 OF 002 increase their operational tempo. He reiterated the urgent need for Bushmaster weapons so that the LTTE could not outgun the Sri Lankan navy. The Ambassador noted that Army Chief General Fonseka would be able to get the status of the Bushmasters during his visit to Washington later this month. The Ambassador also urged the GSL to receive at a high level a team from Raytheon coming the week of November 13 to discuss Raytheon's offer of aerial radars on Beechcraft. Such radars would greatly increase GSL capacity to detect LTTE re-supply efforts several hundred miles offshore. Rajapakse said this was an important visit. LTTE Preparing Suicide Air Attack? ---------------------------------- ¶4. (C) Rajapakse also expressed great concern about a training flight that an LTTE light aircraft had taken the evening of November 6. He said that while there had been previous sightings of the plane flying, this was the first time that military radar had detected and tracked the plane. He speculated that the plane might be preparing to undertake a suicide bombing of a target that could not be targeted by a car or suicide bomber on the ground. Rajapakse predicted LTTE supremo Prabhakaran would need a military or other victory to show his strength before his November 27 Heroes Day speech. He said the GSL was particularly concerned a suicide plane might target the Ratmalana military airport outside Colombo, the military side of the air base at Colombo's international airport where the Air Force's Kfirs are stationed, the base at Anuradhapura where a helicopter squadron is stationed, or possibly the President's residence in Colombo. The Ambassador asked how long it would take to scramble the Kfirs to intercept such a mission. Rajapakse thought at least 30 minutes, which would be too long to stop an attack on Anuradhapura. He also expressed concern that the plane might fly at night since the LTTE knows the Kfirs do not have night vision. Asked about GSL plans to acquire night capability, Rajapakse said the next generation of Kfirs would likely have such capability and the Indians would provide the requisite training.
BLAKE
So are these the weapons and radar equipment that was used to detect and kill Tamil Civilians and execute Tamil Freedom Fighters??? The proof is right here…
Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah - March 5, 2013
5:32 pm
Freedom fighters?????? my foot.
Nimalan - March 5, 2013
5:57 pm
Forget about Freedom fighters, but Gota used these weapons to kill Tamil civilians. Now US is bringing war crime charges.
Ediwin Silva - March 5, 2013
6:07 pm
Why do you need radar to find civilians? If the US had sent hotdogs, there will be idiots telling us how these were used to kill Tamil civilians and poor little freedom fighters.
David Blacker - March 6, 2013
6:15 am
You are an embarrassment to the Trans-RATIONAL Govt. of Tamil Eelam. You should be recalled from Cuckooland. Because your statement sounds like even you don’t believe in what you say. “The proof is right here” that you are a drama queen. Every purchase of weapons by GOSL is proof for you that it did what you claim it did. Way to go senator.
Ajay - March 6, 2013
5:44 am
Le’me guess you’re just one of the many people who live abroad without knowing the ground situation in SL. About Killing Civilians I shall not go to that topic cos It cannot be denied that Civilians were killed during the War but calling the LTTE “FREEDOM FIGHTERS”?????? You gotta be kidding me!!!! Go read up the definition for a freedom fighter cos plainly you’re just arrogant and stupid to call a Organization which killed thousands of innocent unarmed civilians (MANY TAMILS INCLUDED) over a period of 30 years “FREEDOM FIGHTERS”
Johann - March 6, 2013
9:56 am
I am 23 years of age & out of that a good 19 years I and my peers suffered a war!!! And for your information I aint a Sinhalese or a Tamil I’m a Burgher so I dont show any favoration to either party But You calling Them “FREEDOM FIGHTERS” is totally Ridiculous!!!!!
Johann - March 6, 2013
10:03 am
Freedom Fighters..ha..? Yes..ruthless, fanatical LTTE brought us so much freedom. We are so grateful to VP. That was exactly why the whole Sri Lankan nation exploded in Euphoria, when VP was finally removed from our beautiful country for ever.
Ben Hurling - March 6, 2013
8:35 pm
How could the LTTE terrorists be called freedom fighters??? The LTTE terrorists recruited child soldiers as FRONT-LINE troops and gave children to wear cyanide capsules around their necks. The non-Hindu Prabhakaran who didn’t even have Sri Lankan ancestry, hated Jaffna elites, wanted a state for himself with or without Tamil people.
Zahir - April 6, 2013
10:32 pm
Human rights and selling arms. Good for you Mr Blake.
Kiramale - March 5, 2013
6:00 pm
If both the USA and UK had been more helpful to the Sri Lankan government in their struggle against terrorists they would probably have had more influence on subsequent events. As it is the, the US and UK held back and consequently I think their positive influence in Sri Lanka was, and remains, diminished.
Candidly - March 6, 2013
1:43 am
1. GR, the Defence Secretary of SL with a mission to protect SL from terrorists, did the right thing “legally” in explaining to US Ambassador the need for some superior fire power to counter the fire power of LTTE.
2. IF GOSL procured Bushmaster guns after that, it was procured legally as the legitimate end user and what the LLTE had procured had been through illegal means.
3.No argument about the double standards of the west in supplying arms to “Freedom Fighters” or terrorists.
The Professional - March 6, 2013
9:26 am
They are Freedom fighters,iF the sinhalese would have given the Tamil Kingdom,like Gandhi did,there wont be any Freesom Fighters..If the sinhalese had respected the non-violence struggle of Hon.Chelvanayagam,there was no need for Freedom fighters..If the sinhalese did not start the communal rights and killed the tamils ruthlessly,there wont be any freedom fighters.
S.Thiagarajah - March 6, 2013
1:05 pm
Again, who calls these ruthless (ex or late) terrorists ‘Freedom Fighters”?
Not a very good term to be used on on a group which was named the ‘Most ruthless Terrorists’ in the world.
Neomal - March 6, 2013
3:31 pm
Now that title “most ruthless terrorists” has been claimed by the Sri lankan military.
Now you know why Sri Lanka is getting screwed in Geneva.
Piranha - March 6, 2013
6:54 pm