CHENNAI, Feb 15: India's coast guard said it had foiled a major attack when it seized a boat belonging to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels packed with weapons, bomb-making chemicals and a “suicide belt.”Officials said five men including a top Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) rebel were on the boat when it was captured late on Tuesday off the south coast of India.

“We have averted a major militant operation,” coast guard Regional Commander Rajendra Singh said on Wednesday, adding that the boat contained a “huge amount” of chemicals for making bombs.

“The suicide belt could blow up a large area so our preliminary assessment is that it was meant to cause destruction at a big temple celebration or during some elections,” said Singh.

LTTE boats have in the past been captured off India's Tamil Nadu coast carrying weapons bound for the Tigers in Sri Lanka. But this boat was carrying “dangerous arms and ammunition” towards coast of Tamil Nadu, which has a predominantly Tamil population, he said. Two Indian fishermen were also arrested.

“The complete picture will emerge only after intelligence agencies complete their questioning of the arrested men,” Singh said.

India outlawed the LTTE after former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi was blown up in 1991 by a suicide bomber believed to have been a member.—AFP