Erick Wotulo, 59, conspired last year to export weapons and other military technology to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, also known as the Tamil Tigers, operating in Sri Lanka, according to the plea agreement.

The state-of-the-art firearms, machine guns and ammunition, surface-to-air missiles and night-vision goggles were to be used against Sri Lankan government forces.

The conspirators contacted an undercover business in Maryland about the sale of military weapons. Wotulo helped acquire and arrange the proposed delivery to the Tamil Tigers, the plea agreement said.

Wotulo was arrested in September in Guam, where he had traveled to meet other conspirators and undercover agents posing as arms merchants.

Wotulo faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for conspiracy to provide material support and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for money laundering at his sentencing, scheduled for May 25.Discuss this story Published: Fri Feb 23 22:39:47 EST 2007

The 15-kilogram (33-pound) bombs were hidden in a drain under a road in the small town of Manthuvil, along with a detonator and a remote control, military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said.

``The bombs were planted by the terrorists and the intended targets were our troops,'' Samarasinghe said, blaming the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The bombs were found Thursday evening following a tip-off from a civilian, Samarasinghe said.

``It was a big find,'' Samarasinghe said. ``The bombs could have caused huge harm.''

He had no immediate information on the composition of the bombs, but said experts were examining them. The rebels could not immediately be reached for comment.

Separatist Tamil rebels began fighting in 1983 for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's 3.1 million ethnic Tamils in the north and northeast, following decades of discrimination by the country's majority Sinhalese.

Some 65,000 people were killed in the conflict before a 2002 cease-fire.

But violence resumed and has escalated since December 2005, leading to another 3,600 deaths, and leaving the truce in tatters.

Skirmishes in rebel-held territory in the north and east continue almost daily. The military maintains a large presence in Jaffna, the traditional homeland of ethnic Tamils.Discuss this story Published: Fri Feb 23 06:55:48 EST 2007

The 85 men - 83 Sri Lankans and two Indonesians - were rescued by an Australian navy ship in international waters near Christmas Island this week after sabotaging their fishing boat.

It had been expected that many would apply for asylum in Australia and be taken to Nauru or Christmas Island for processing. More... Discuss this story Published: Fri Feb 23 22:40:44 EST 2007