Batticaloa geared for polls

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Defence Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella addressing media yesterday (27) during a press briefing held at MCNS stated that all preparations were made for the local government elections in the Eastern province on March 10, contrary to the picture of violence and distorted cheap propaganda by certain groups and parties."Only 26 election related incidents had been reported so far in Batticaloa and they too are minor incidents. Police are fully investigating those incidents," the Minister said.

"There had been elections which had become a 'black mark' in this country. "So compared to other elections the local polls campaign in Batticaloa is one of the best elections so far," the Minister added.

Minister Rambukwella also drew attention to the incident concerning the former Executive Director of ICES (International Centre for Ethnic Studies), Dr Rama Mani, explaining that the UNDP Chief of Policies and Programs, Omar Norman, had signed a petition requesting that her visa be extended and had later complained that he was tricked into signing it.

The Eastern province is now going through a massive development process under the "Nagenahira Udanaya" he further stated. The GoSL has embarked on ensuring economic freedom to the Eastern population by implementing development projects costing Rs. 6.1 billion, the Minister remarked.

It is a great achievement to be able to hold local elections in the east, which also underlines the government's urgency to refurbish democracy in east while implementing its road map for the mega development projects, the Spokesperson said.

However, Minister Rambukwella also pointed out that even in superior democracies it is not always possible to prevent incidents of this nature adding that such incidents can be expected in an area liberated from the clutches of terrorism in the recent past.

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The arrests that upset terror

A local TV station in its evening news telecast yesterday (February 25), reported that an unidentified gang that had come in a white van abducted a person named Muththusami Ilankoowan alias Sami at Pettah, Colombo on the same day evening. According to this TV station the person who was a holder of a Singaporean passport had been accommodated at a hotel on Kadireshan road before getting "disappeared".

Media personnel of this TV station who seemed to have got the first hand information on this "disappearance", quickly inquired from the police media spokesman who was only able inform them what he knew at the time. Later, the police spokesperson informed relevant media station that the person that it was referring as disappeared was actually a suspect arrested by the police. However, the media station carried out the same story spinning it as an abduction that carried out by the government giving less prominence to the police spokesman's clarification.


A senior intelligence official speaking exclusively to defence.lk said that Muththusami Ilankoowan is a number one LTTE terrorist who is suspected to have a hand in many civilian massacres carried out by LTTE in the south. Muttusami, is a Sri Lankan born Tamil, who has strong connection with terror chief V.Prbhakaran, and also with LTTE's international wing leaders such as Castro , Kumaran Padmanadan, David and Iyyanna. The suspect has his own shipping line by which he is said to be promoting cross border terrorists activities of LTTE as well as of other international terrorist organizations that work hand in hand with LTTE, the intelligence official said. As proof for his claim the intelligence official gave defence few pictures of the suspect taken with the kingpins of the terror organizations.

Speaking further the official revealed that the suspect had come to Sri Lanka last year to promote terror activities in the South. He said that the arrest of Muttusami is a great achievement, not only for Sri Lanka but also for other countries that fight against terrorism. Finally he said, that the irresponsible behaviour of the above mentioned TV station shows none other than its cooperation with the terror outfit that murder its own viewer
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It should be noted that counter terrorist warfare is not the same as conventional warfare and therefore has its own methods of dealing with the enemy. For instance, the arrest of Muttusami though perfectly legal, it has been made in a swift manner than a normal arrest in order to prevent accomplices of the suspect getting alarmed. However all such measures taken by the security forces are aimed at saving the lives of civilians than anything else. On the other hand, it is natural for the terrorist accomplices to get disturbed on such arrests and to take whatever action to prevent them. Therefore, it is high time for all peace loving Sri Lankans to comprehend reality that what agitates those terror accomplices are actually attempts aimed at saving lives of innocent.

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Security forces continued military offensive operation against LTTE terror outfit inflecting heavy damages to the enemy yesterday, February 25. 46 LTTE terrorists were killed and another 5 sustained injuries in yesterday clashes. Further, 4 army soldiers were killed while 13 others received injuries during these clashes erupted right throughout the day, military reports said.

In the Jaffna theatre of battle, army snipers deployed in Muhamalai and Kilaly fronts gunned down two LTTE terrorists in two separate incidents around 7.25 a.m and 12.35 p.m respectively.

In Wanni theatre of battle, in Vavuniya front, one LTTE terrorists was killed by the troops in a confrontation took place at Navatkulam around 1.45 p.m, sources said.

In general area Koilmoddai, a fresh attack was launched targeting LTTE bunker defences and five LTTE cadres were killed by the troops around 12.30 p.m. two terrorists also injured due to the attack. Two army personnel were also received injuries in this confrontation, the report said.

Troops ambushed an LTTE movement in general area Udayanatankulam and killed 6 LTTE terrorists 5.20 p.m. an LTTE terrorist was killed in a separate confrontation took place at 12.35 p.m in general area Periyapantrichurichcha.

One soldier was killed and another received injuries due to LTTE mortar fire at 1.20 p.m in general area Koilmoddai. Meanwhile, one soldier was killed and two others received injuries in three separate anti-personnel mine explosions took place at Vilattikkulam, Karampaikkulam, Periyapantrichurichchan, report further added.

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The arrests that upset terror

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Defence sources in the Welioya battlefront say Sri Lanka Army soldiers have destroyed a fortified stronghold of LTTE terrorists this evening (February 25). According to the sources, Army infantrymen launched attacks at the LTTE defences located in the North of Janakapura area between 1.p.m. to 2.p.m.Following the attack, troops found 7 bodies of slain LTTE cadres, along with 6, T-56 riffles, one Light Machine Gun (LMG) and one GPS equipment, the sources said.

In addition, the terrorists attempted to regain the control over the area but failed in the face of army retaliation, said the sources. Army engaged artillery at the LTTE reinforcements and caused them to turn tail with heavy casualties. Later, LTTE radio transmissions revealed that 5 more LTTE cadres were killed and 4 injured due to Army retaliation.One soldier was killed in this incident, the sources added.


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Two TMVP members killed in a suicide blast

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Two political activists of Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikkal (TMVP), a political party contesting for local government polls in Batticaloa were killed in a suicide blast carried out by LTTE terrorists at Kalawanchikudi in Batticaloa this morning. According to the defence sources, the blast had taken place around 9.45.a.m. on the Eruvil- Kalawanchikudi road.

TMVP spokesperson Mr. Asad Mawulana speaking to defence.lk said the individuals were canvassing for the Tamil political party in view of forth coming local government elections in the Batticaloa district when they were attacked.

Mr. Mawulana citing eyewitnesses said that, t.he TMVP members had approached a suspected individual loitering in the area to inquire on his whereabouts. The suspect had then exploded himself killing the two TMVP members, he added.

According to TMVP sources, the political party had organized a public meeting at Kalavanchchikudi today, to which few senior TMVP candidates were also due to attend. The victims have been identified Regan and Sudha, sources added.

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Terror bomb blast in Mount Lavinia

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LTTE terrorists have exploded a bomb inside a public transport bus in Mount Lavinia, in the South of Colombo city around 10.55, this morning targeting innocent civilians. According to the available information, the bomb has been exploded in a privately owned bus that was plying from Moratuwa to Colombo. Due to the explosion 18 people including 10 males, 7 females and one baby have suffered minor injures. The bus and a motorbike parked nearby have been destroyed.

However, the terrorists' beastly intention to commit carnage against civilians has foiled due to the vigilance of the civilians themselves. According to the defence.lk reporter at the scene, one of the passengers having noticed a suspicious parcel has informed the driver and the conductor of the bus.

The conductor has alarmed the passengers and asked them to vacate the bus as soon as possible. At the same time, the driver of the bus has taken the bus to a safe distance from the civilians and informed the police, he said. Few minutes after driver got down from the bus, the bomb has gone off, he added.

According to our sources, unless for the responsible behaviour shown by the bus conductor, the driver and the passenger who alarmed them; a large number of civilians would have been killed.

Earlier this month, a navy petty officer saved large number of civilian lives by promptly defusing a similar parcel bomb placed by LTTE terrorists at the Anuradhapura weekly fair.

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