Paper Planes

When they flew across Sri Lankan skies over Colombo on the night of 20th Friday [Feb 2009], the self styled terrorist ranks of Tamil Tiger Air Wing may have thought that success was written in gold for their mission. They had taken the small island nation for a free ride, by violating its air space with low flying light planes - mostly below radar detectable height - and gravity bombing hype and mystery. Purpose of their visits has never been benign, but this time the plot was even sinister. Instead of bombing targets off the high security zone and flying away with triumph, this time they pierced right through the Colombo HSZ, possibly targeting a VIP position on a journey of no return. They were attempting a suicide fly by.

Tamil Tigers, also known as LTTE, have brought a number of evil elements to the world. Tamil Tigers are the first to coin the term of “Suicide Bomber”. They have obtained some naval capacity [of the size of fishing trawlers], submersibles and light planes. They introduced internationally organized Credit Card Theft. They have extended the cutting edge of global terrorism to a new height, creating human catastrophes in many parts of Sri Lanka.

And their approaches have been copied fondly by other terror groups, like in the case of countless suicide bombing in Iraq and Pakistan and ambush style terror attack in Mumbai. This time they were trying to set up another chapter in Terrorist’s Cook Book on Kamikaze.

World has reacted to these wings of Satan in different ways. Having publically denounced the evil motto, many people seem to be fond of its operational detail and secretly admire the fiasco. Singers have sung and ethnic migrants have boasted, but world is yet to know that they are adoring a two horned bastard who threatens tomorrow’s aerial safety as a whole.

Like law, diplomacy and religion, terrorist philosophies fly over the country borders. Different terror groups adapt ideologies of one another. Like fashion, terrorist maneuvers are copied. In a world where technology marvels, there is no guarantee that another terror movement will not adapt flying examples of Tamil Tigers of today. It can happen in any place where they have significant cover for the safety of the machines - not only in third world, but also in first world. It is correct that all big nations are protected with significant air defence systems. But it is rather unknown to many that no nation is fully protected from aerial threats. Low flying small planes can get away from many radar systems. Also they can play a drama of benign agenda until they reach the Kamikaze target. This is a threat that world has not yet felt. And they admire the first terrorists to fly.

Of the possibilities, bombing is the least, has anyone calculated what kind of catastrophe they can create by spraying malicious material such as toxic gases, germs or nuke-waste. Tamil Tigers may have plotted all these. Who knows, they might do it tomorrow. It is a paramount responsibility of world as a whole to defeat such movements as soon as possible, before they become a legend and example for other jungle prowling terror masterminds, who mean nothing but doom.

Back to the story – With the approaching city skyscrapers, the terror pilot raised the altitude. At this night hours, crashing into one of the business centers would not cause much damage other than the loss of the flying machine. They needed a better target - perhaps some military establishment, maybe the President’s house or maybe they were looking for a place of public gathering. Tamil Tigers measure triumph in civilian head count – a diminishing habit from even the most uncivilized tribal regions of the world today.

Before we move further on the events unfolded on that decisive night it is important to go through the hype and myth of the air capabilities of Tamil Tigers. Is it a great feat to possess air capability for a terrorist movement? Surely it is one of the first occasions, but given the world order of today, and the volatility on anti-terror policies and foresight in Sri Lankan politics, it is not a magic at all. Let the facts speak.

Tamil Tigers are the wealthiest terrorist movement in the world, ahead of Al Qaeda [funded by millionaire supreme leader Osama Bin Laden], Colombian terrorists [humble cocaine traders], Hisbullah [allegedly funded by oil-rich Arab communities] and Somalian gangs [who mastered sea piracy for million dollar ransom]. They all envy the thick pocket of Velupille Prabhakaran, the elusive leader of Tamil Tigers. Bagging an annual global hat collection of more than USD200 million - mostly extorted from the ethnic Tamil immigrants in west - Tamil Tigers have other unaccounted income sources such as drug selling, human trafficking and credit card theft. Analysts speculate a staggering sum of USD one billion of annual revenue which is comparative to a national GDP of a smaller third world nation. In a world where many millionaires can afford for private jets and helicopters, Tamil Tigers are humbled to possess light planes only. Technically speaking it is a Mafia organization of global scale.

Like Al Qaeda who obtained training to fly Jumbo Jets in US, Tamil Tigers have trained their pilots overseas, hiding within the immigrant community. Apart from the newly trained inexperienced pilots, they seem to have employed mercenaries on bombing.

With wealth, logistics and expertise, they have shown a path for the jubilant terror supporters. It is to fly over anyone’s head and bomb if they do not listen to your demands. And the hype and myth has turned into legend and bandwagon. Ethnic Tamil pop star Methangi Arulprasagam aka MIA sang “Paper Planes” at the time Tamil Tigers acquired the flying capability. Her seemingly innocent song may be a coincidence, but the terror past of her father [Mr Arul Prasagam - former leader known as Arular in Tamil Tiger ranks] and terror bandwagon of her public appearances are not. Even for the song itself, MIA features gunshots in back ground. Following rather interesting segments are extracted from original lyrics.

“Pirate skulls and bones Sticks and stones and weed and bombs Running when we hit 'em Lethal poison through their system”

“Some some some I some I murder Some I some I let go”

MIA is free to express her views. But too many coincidences spawn a whirlpool of speculations. For an example her deceptive voice tells “bombs” in original song which is mostly interpreted as “bongs” elsewhere. Having preserved the freedom of expression, what right do we deserve to promote terrorism at its lethal height of aerial capability? Things to ponder.

The plane lowered between the skyscrapers. Except for one or two stubborn parties, the entire city was in self-inflicted darkness. The Defence Forces were ready from the moment they detected the threat. Many guns were waiting, one plane to fly, they were attempting yet another impossibility.

Inevitable happened at once. It is not clear who took the target. It can be a naval gun ship, a ground AA gun, or a shooter on a high rising building. In a sudden flare of light, the invader vanished into pieces, mostly damaging a government office building. Explosion was rather gigantic. Nevertheless two innocent bystanders paid ultimate price of terrorism while nearly fifty others received injuries, leaving the sadistic Tamil Tiger supporters with something to be happy about.

Moments later another plane was found crashed into an abandoned field near the main airport of the country. Signs of it being hit by AA gunfire were apparent.

Some believe that it is the end of the Tiger air capability. But it is unknown how many hidden sinister planes Tamil Tigers possess. In addition, there is no assurance that they will not acquire any in future, even after being deprived of their territorial control. You can fly a plane from anywhere, be it a neighboring country or mere ocean. And most importantly there is no assurance that other such movements will not adapt the newest weapon on terrorist range. The era invented by Tamil Tigers assures no one - anywhere in the world - free sleep, without the scare of sky falling on you. It is the era of terrorist flying.

In the current phase of this war, Sri Lanka has lived its moments of truth - the valuable proof that it would not kneel in front of the ruthlessness of terrorism. It has proven to all that possessing money and preaching cruelty is not enough for savagery to rule. It has shown the world that on the strict stance of righteousness you can beat any evil force. And by shooting down the air capability of Tamil Tigers they have proven the world that sanity prevails.

Yet the hype continues. MIA will sing Paper Planes for another decade, denying her subtle propaganda and indirectly providing morale jet fuel to the thousands of like sinister incest minds plotting the next big human catastrophe anywhere in the world. Tamil Tigers may not fly again, but the terrorists elsewhere might take up the baton.

But one thing remains assured. They are Paper Planes indeed and they burn very fast.


- Bharana Ganitha -