Sri Lanka has banned imports of remote-controlled toy cars, boats and planes because of fears Tamil Tiger rebels could use them as bombs, a senior military official said Tuesday.
"You get remote-controlled planes and cars which can be operated on the road. If it gets into the wrong hands, they can bring a small toy, send it underneath a vehicle and blast it," the official said on condition of anonymity.
"Two to three kilograms (4.4 to 6.6 lb) of explosives can go in one of those cars without any problem," he added. "This can pose a threat. The LTTE are desperate today... There is no telling what they could do. They could make use of some of this equipment."
However, while imports have been banned, existing stocks of remote-controlled toy cars are still readily available on supermarket shelves in central Colombo.
The ban comes during a new chapter of Sri Lanka's two-decade civil war and after a spree of roadside bomb attacks and clashes that have killed hundreds of troops, civilians and rebel fighters since late July.
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels were not immediately available for comment on the toy ban, which the official said would be a temporary measure.
Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited.
