Heads roll over Sri Lanka airport attack

At least two passenger jets were destroyed in the attack

By staff and wire reports

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka has suspended 11 airmen over a breach of security that led to a devastating guerrilla attack last week on the country's only international airport.

On July 24, Tamil rebels, armed with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons, attacked the tightly guarded international airport and a nearby military air base.

They wrecked hundreds of millions of dollars in commercial and military aircraft and sent scores of tourists scrambling for cover

All 13 of the rebels and seven government troops were killed.

Suspensions

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"Three officers and eight other ranks have been suspended in connection with the attack with effect from Wednesday," said military spokesman Brigadier Sanath Karunaratne.

The officers included the commander of the air base and two senior deputies in charge of security at the complex housing the country's entire fighter squadron and the runway used by international flights.

A high-ranking air force team is trying to find out how a relatively small number of rebels penetrated the 800-acre complex ringed by barricades, roadblocks and even minefields guarded by more than 1,000 troops.

The raid, which analysts blamed on a massive failure of intelligence, coincided with the 18th anniversary of the ethnic war pitting government troops against rebels fighting for a separate Tamil state in the country's north and east.

The government said Wednesday it has stationed military troops and was keeping two strike groups at the ready as a precaution against any future attacks.

Tourism trade rattled

The raid has caused shockwaves through the country. The country's national carrier, which lost half its fleet in the attack, said it hopes up to 1,000 more employees will take up its new voluntary retirement scheme.

SriLankan Airlines brought forward its previous retirement scheme by five months after the rebels blew up three of its aircraft and grounded three others.

Meanwhile representatives of Sri Lanka's beleaguered travel and tourism industries held crisis talks on Wednesday.

Both industries are bracing for deep recession after the raid triggered travel warnings from major tourist markets and a massive insurance surcharge on airlines flying to Colombo.

Reuters contributed to this report.