August 5 polls: Disruption plans go up in flames, bomb-maker killed

Aonetime LTTE intelligence cadre planned to explode a bomb in a public area to drive fear and prevent voters from going to polling stations on August 5 - but it exploded prematurely at his house and killed him.

A Terrorism Investigation Division ( TID) investigation, now underway, has revealed details of the plot. A guerrilla cadre who used the nom de guerre Mani Arasan, now operating from France, had given instructions to Menon, who died.

Besides being an intelligence cadre, Menon, his nom de guerre, it has come to light, has been an expert in the manufacture of low intensity explosive devices. He has been one of the Tiger guerrilla cadres who had gone through the Government’s rehabilitation programme.

A female teacher, described as Menon’s girlfriend, a former member of the LTTE “Police” and another suspect are in custody. Menon had owned two motorcycles and had been tasked to place bombs in key locations. Police believe he also received funds from France from Mani Arasan.

The plot came to light after a bomb Menon was manufacturing triggered off due to an unexplained reason, a Police source said. There is evidence to suggest that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had plans to create a fear psychosis in the peninsula and force people not to vote, the same source said.

The discovery of the plot has led to intensification of security measures in the peninsula.

A former Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, one of the main candidates contesting from the Jaffna District, has now been provided with Police Special Task Force (STF) security. In addition, he has also been assigned five motorcycles to be used by security escorts.

Police and the military are conducting spot checks to prevent any incidents during the polls campaign. They are assisted by the military in this task.