18.9.2008
Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka told the Daily News yesterday (17 September) that Security Forces operating in Wanni are ready to face any type of gas attacks by the LTTE as they have been equipped with gas masks to face such situations.

Confirming that LTTE had fired two canisters of CS gas in Akkarayankulam and Vannivilankulam, the Army Commander said it was not a chemical weapon but a gas which is being used for anti hijacking operations worldwide.

CS is a substance that is used as a riot control agent and is generally accepted as being non-lethal. CS gas has been discovered by two Americans, Ben Corson and Roger Staughton, at Middlebury College in 1928, and the chemical gets its name from the first letters of the scientists' surnames. "If the LTTE fires CS canisters at us we have the capability fire more powerful gases against them as we have the mandate as a sovereign state to make use of these gases to curb any terror activity of the LTTE," the Army Commander added.

"We have already provided gas masks to the troops operating in Wanni to face any type of gas attacks by the LTTE," the Army Commander added.

He said a number of soldiers suffered burning effects and some other effects due to firing of CS gas canisters. They later recovered and operations were not affected.

Courtesy : Daily News