Nation Building Minister Basil?

Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa is tipped to fill the vacant post created by the demise of non-Cabinet Irrigation Minister Anver Ismail, reliably government learns.

It is understood that several high-ranking government ministers have approached Minister A.L.M. Athaullah, hoping to secure the national list slot for Rajapaksa.

Read more,
http://lankaguardian.blogspot.com/2007/09/nation-building-minister-basil.html
and
http://www.lankaenews.com/Sinhala/news.php?id=3198
Photo,
http://www.lankaenews.com/Sinhala/news.php?id=3198

The Commander in Chief Salutes Heroic Sailors- Trincomalee

His Excellency the President and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Honourable Mahinda Rajapaksa today (September 17) saluted the brave sailors who returned home after winning an epic victory to Sri Lanka Navy. The Commander in Chief visited the Naval Base at Trincomalee this morning to welcome the crews of the six naval ships who destroyed three large arms-carrying ships belonged to the LTTE terrorists at high seas on 11th September 2007.

The Ministers, Douglas Devananda, Nimal Siripala De Silva, G.L. Peries, Milinda Moragoda, Mahindananda Aluthgamage and the Chief Minister of North-Central province Berty Premalal Dissanayake along with Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa accompanied the Commander in Chief.

The six ships; SLNS Sayura, SLNS Samudura, SLNS Suranimila, SLNS Shakthi , A 520, and A 521 arrived Trincomalee harbour this afternoon after having completed the longest tour of duty in the Navy's history. Sri Lanka Navy adhering to the oldest customs among the worriers at sea honoured the incoming ships by a glamorous "Man and Cheer Ship" ceremony.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070917_03

Indian spymaster speculates whether KP whisked away by FBI

Adding further confusion to the alleged arrest of top LTTE international operative Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP) in Thailand, a former head of the counter terrorism unit at the Indian intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) B. Raman has speculated whether KP had been whisked away by the FBI to be questioned by them on the LTTE's links with Al Qaeda.

Raman's speculation comes amidst reports that a top Sri Lankan defence and intelligence team that went to Thailand last week to secure KP's deportation to Sri Lanka had failed, with the Thai authorities denying that KP had been arrested by them. KP, who was believed to have been arrested by Interpol in Thailand a fortnight ago, was also wanted by India in connection with the assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

B. Raman who was also a top Indian civil servant and known as a spymaster writing to a think tank called the South Asia Analysis Group said: "In September,2003, the Thai Police informally picked up Hambali, the then operational chief of Indonesia's Jemmah Islamiyah, at Ayuthya and handed him over to the FBI, which flew him out to Diego Garcia for questioning.

Read more,
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/09/17/front/04.asp