Explosives, suicide jacket found in north Sri Lanka

Colombo: Sri Lankan police Wednesday recovered a suicide jacket along with a stock of explosives and ammunition during a raid on a house in the country's former warzone in the Tamil dominated northern province.

One suicide jacket, four side chargers, three parcels containing about 12 kilogrammes of TNT, two packets containing 100 rounds of 9mm pistol ammunition and two battery packs used to detonate side chargers were found in the house in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna, police said.

Commenting on the discovery of explosives, the Defence Ministry Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said that there was no threat to national security.

Explosives and ammunition recoveries are reported very regularly from the former war affected areas, he said.

Investigations are currently going to arrest the owner of the house who fled the area.

Police further said it is suspected that the explosives and other items had been stored at the house since the period of the war.

Chavakachcheri was a battle site when Sri Lanka fought Tamil Tiger rebels for nearly 30 years before the war ended in 2009.