Etihad plane lands in Sri Lanka after bomb scare

An Etihad Airways plane en route from Indonesia to the United Arab Emirates made an emergency landing in Sri Lanka Wednesday following a bomb scare, an airport official said.

Flight EY-471 from Jakarta to Abu Dhabi was diverted to Colombo and checked by police commandos and bomb disposal units, the official said, adding that no bomb was found.

It was not immediately clear how the alarm had been raised.

An Etihad official at the airport said the plane had been given the all clear to resume its journey.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankabusinessonline.com
/fullstory.php?newsID=1898350148&no_view=1&SEARCH_TERM=7

President Pays Tribute to the Valiant Forces

His Excellency the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces Mahinda Rajapaksa today (11) paid tribute to the all members of the SL Security forces who liberated Thoppigala area from the terror clutches.

Statement by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the capture of Thoppigala, the LTTE's last stronghold in the East:

"I join the people in offering tribute and all good wishes to the members of the Armed Forces, Police and Special Task Force who, through their participation in the humanitarian exercise to free the people of the East from the clutches of terrorism, captured the last stronghold of the terrorists located at Thoppigala.

I remember with honour all heroes of war and members of the families of those who sacrificed their lives or were wounded in this exercise carried out on behalf of the country and nation.

May you be Blessed by the Triple Gem!

Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070711_06

Ranil Belittles Security Force's victory in Thoppigala

In the midst of roaring laughter of his supporters the Leader of the Opposition and the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe belittled the government's claim of a great military victory at Thoppigala and said it was nothing big to crow about.

"What's all this fuss about Thoppigala. It's nothing to crow about," he told a public gathering in Galle. The meeting was broadcast by the Independent Television Network run by the state with other interviews condemning his statement.

But in a different interview Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE) military spokesman Rasiah Ilantheriyan admitted that the LTTE has received a defeat.

Ilantheriyan in an interview with Roland Burke of the BBC when asked whether the LTTE has received a defeat said that , "In a way yes. From a point of view it is a defeat." since the government forces have gained a greater control of the Eastern Province.

Ranil Wickremesinghe in contrast said Thoppigala is only a big jungle bigger than the Colombo District. He asked "how many times we captured that area."

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NGO life jackets found on LTTE boats

Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Lionel Premasiri has instructed relevant authorities to investigate the incident where eight life jackets belonging to an NGO were found on LTTE boats seized by the Navy recently, a Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry spokesman said.

He said that when questioned, the NGO informed the Minister that the life jackets were given during the tsunami disaster responding to a request made by the Fisheries and Water Resources Department and the NGO will shortly produce the name list of recipients.

The organisation has also informed the Deputy Minister that they regret that the humanitarian aid given to civilians did not reach them and is now being used for terrorist activities.

Deputy Minister Premasiri will follow the investigation closely, he added.

Extracted from,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/07/12/news26.asp