The UNP said yesterday that for political reasons the government hid the LTTE’s acquisition of underwater crafts.

Kandy District UNP Lakshman Kirialle said that according to media reports underwater crafts belonging to the LTTE had been discovered by the Army from Udayarkattukulam.

The LTTE workshops for the building and repair of sea going vessels were destroyed by the tsunami, he said. "Subsequently they obtained modern machinery and rebuilt these workshops in 2005 and 2006. According to reliable information underwater crafts were among the new equipment purchased by the LTTE at the time. It is surprising that the intelligence was totally unaware of the new workshops and equipment. It is obvious that for political reasons the LTTE build up from 2005 was hidden from the public."