* LTTE aircraft in the abortive attack took off from Puthukkudyiruppu area in Northern Sri Lanka
Sunday, February 22, 2009, 17:06 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

"In a general conflict one does not use their last asset unless they are under desperation." - Defence Spokesman

Feb 22, Colombo: The two LTTE aircraft that entered the Sri Lanka capital on Friday night (20) took off from an uncleared area of Puthukkudyiruppu, the last remaining stronghold of Tigers, the military said today.

Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said the forward troops in Puthukkudyiruppu informed the Air Force that the aircraft had had taken off from the area around 8.30 p.m.

Narrating the events, the spokesman said subsequently the Air Force received reports from Olumadu and Mannar. Ten minutes after take-off the Air force picked up the first radar signal of the two air craft flying at a height of around 200-300ft and an F7 interceptor was airborne at 8:50 p.m. and radar in Palavi noticed the planes around 9:00 p.m., he said.

Air defence system was activated immediately when the first air craft entered the Colombo air space around 9:47p.m. The air craft crashed into the Inland Revenue Department building in downtown Colombo due to the anti aircraft fire and failed to carry on its suicide attack on the intended target, the Air Force headquarters next to the damaged building.

During this time the second air craft turned its course and headed towards Katunayake and entered the Katunayake air space around 9:55pm, the spokesman said.

Air Defence gunners of the 32nd Land Based air force wing in Katunayake shot down the LTTE craft few minutes later killing the pilot.

The security forces have recovered 10 boxes of 16 kg each of C4 explosives and another box of 50kg of C4 explosives from the downed plane.

Wing Commander Nanayakkara said the pilot was hit in the hand and failed to trigger the explosives.

The government and the Security Forces say the LTTE targeted the Air Force Base at Katunayake where the Air Force fighter jets are kept and the Air Force Headquarters or even the Presidents House.

Had the rebels succeeded in their missions the attacks would have caused an immense damage to the Sri Lanka Air Force, in personnel as well as in hardware, Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

Rambukwella said the LTTE is desperate as they are losing massively and have no way of recovery. "In a general conflict one does not use their last asset unless they are under desperation," the Defence Spokesman said.

Sri Lankan troops have captured and destroyed a majority of LTTE infrastructure and equipment such as LTTE admin bases, bunker complexes, submarines, under water scooters, air strips, printing presses, bomb manufacturing plants, artillery guns etc. in the North. However their air crafts were well hidden deep inside the rebel controlled territory.

Defence experts say at least one more LTTE aircraft remain in their possession for the emergency use of their leader Prabhakaran. The LTTE was known to possess 5 improvised Czech-built Zlin-143 aircraft.