Detonators from Kerala finding way into Sri Lanka?

Police probing the recovery of a large quantity of detonators at a bus stand in Thrissur suspect that the explosives were to be smuggled into Sri Lanka.

A gunny bag containing 10,000 detonators, placed in 100 boxes, was found at a bus stand on September 6. Two people were arrested in connection with the incident soon after.

It was the investigation into the dealings of Najeeb, one of those arrested, that helped police in unravelling the Sri Lankan connection. Kerala police conducted the probe along with the Tamil Nadu police.

"Najeeb used to take the detonators to Meenakshipuram in Tamil Nadu and hand it over to a person called Biji. From the description we got from Najeeb, we presume that this person, a Sri Lankan refugee, is a notorious criminal who has many criminal charges against him," Circle Inspector T.C. Venugopal of Thrissur East police station said Monday. Thrissur is 70 km north of Kochi.

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx

Weli-Oya : Next front in Wanni battle

Several small attack teams of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) moved ahead of their defense lines in Weli-Oya (referred to as Manal-Aru by the tigers) to conduct a pre emptive strike on LTTE positions on the FDL, yesterday (11th) noon.

This limited operation was aimed at dismantling LTTE defenses in Kokkuthiduwai region. At least 9 LTTE cadres have been killed during the operation and 4 SLA soldiers too have been wounded.

As capturing land was not an objective of this operation, all SLA units have returned to their original positions. Spearheading the assaults in Weli Oya sector are soldiers of the 59th division. Newly raised 59th division is an offensive formation modeled after the 57th division and elite 53rd division.

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http://defencenet.blogspot.com/2007/12/weli-oya-

Lanka seeks access to top LTTE agent in Indian custody

Although India has overlooked previous requests for access to LTTE operatives in her custody on, what a senior official called, domestic political reasons, Sri Lanka is confident that a chance to question Jayakumar (34) alias Gowrishankar, a senior Sea Tiger in Indian custody wouldn't be denied.

Jayakumar, believed to be one of the highest ranking LTTE operatives arrested in India after the Norwegian-arranged CFA came into operation in February, 2002, is widely believed to be a central figure in the LTTE arms procurement ring. Under interrogation, he has revealed the financial support received from the UK based LTTE organisations in support of the operations in Sri Lanka.

A resident of Valvettiturai, Jayakumar is believed to have joined Sea Tigers in 1995 and has some close relatives living at Thanjavur.

India didn't allow SLN to question three LTTE operatives arrested along with two Indians on February 13, this year and six others, believed to be a special squad deployed for arms smuggling operations arrested by her Coast Guard on April 11. Although India signalled that it could arrange two Sri Lankan intelligence personnel to meet investigators who interrogated the suspects, it never materialised.

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http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20071211_01

Hindraf lodges complaint against PM over LTTE remarks

The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), a Malaysian rights outfit, has lodged a police complaint against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after allegations linking the group with Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers for Tamil Eeelam (LTTE).

Hindraf's senior leader and legal advisor P Uthayakumar asserted that the outfit had 'zero links' with the LTTE or any other terrorist group.

'We do not support violence. We are a non-violent group,' Uthayakumar was quoted as saying in The Star newspaper Sunday.

Uthayakumar, who lodged the report at the Jalan Travers police station Saturday, also named Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, minister in the prime minister's office Mohamed Nazri Aziz, and Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan in the complaint.

The Hindraf's response came amidst reports that the government could invoke the stringent International Security Act (ISA) against top Hindraf leaders who organized a protest rally on Nov 25 to voice their grievances, claming to speak for the two million-plus, predominantly Tamil Hindu population of immigrants from India.

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http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?rep=2&aid=4

Govt will win Budget vote with ease - Minister Maithripala Sirisena

The Government will pass the budget with a majority of votes at its Third Reading despite Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe's attempts to weaken the Government in Parliament, SLFP General Secretary Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

Minister Sirisena said that Opposition Leader Wickremesinghe had failed every step of the way to topple the Government. "Wickremesinghe is misleading the public in his campaign to topple the Government," he added.

Minister Sirisena pointing to the Opposition Leader's campaign against the Government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said Wickremesinghe should learn how to speak in public and act as a responsible leader.

"Wickremesinghe in his new campaign has inserted an advertisement saying that the youth should be given wings to fly and the Government had not granted enough opportunities to the youth."

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http://www.mulpituwa.com/?viewnews=10027

Sri Lankan media delegation visits PU

Pakistan has made remarkable progress in media, especially in electronic media, during the last three years and Sri Lankan media wanted to establish bilateral relationship with Pakistani media to promote academic and professional activities in both countries.

Prabaghan Ratnasabapathy, head of a media delegation from Sri Lanka said this when the delegation visited Punjab University Institute of Communication studies (ICS) on Monday.

He also stressed the need to boost cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the field of media.

Talking on the occasion, ICS Director Dr Mughees said," The institute is ready to offer its services to Sir Lankan journalists in the field of development journalism." He said the institute would soon start construction of its third building with a cost of Rs 90 million.

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http://thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=133469&catid=3

“Tamilchelvan killed by Prabhakaran”, Indian Congressman Confirms

Tamil Nadu Congress functionary SR Balasubramanian says, “According to the information I have, it was LTTE chief Prabhakaran who was responsible for the elimination of Tamilchelvan.” Tamilchelvan had led bilateral and multilateral peace talks that successive Sri Lanka governments have held with LTTE in 1985, 1987, 1989/90, 1994, 2002 and 2006. The talks, facilitated by Thailand, Germany and Japan and coordinated by Norway, can fructify anytime.

“India should keep this in mind that it is only the Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka who can be truly friendly with neighbouring India,” said MK Sivajilingam on November 29, urging New Delhi to play an active role in solving the ongoing ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka.

Going by the fact that India’s ‘buffer’ countries to the North, West and East (and South) are none too friendly with New Delhi, this is a perspective worth looking into. But tragically, there are indications that the IFS (Indian Foreign Service) babus are not yet ready to come out a time warp.

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http://lankaguardian.blogspot.com/2007/12/

Lanka to finalise devolution package before Manmohan's visit

Pressed by India, Sri Lanka is likely to finalise a "power devolution" package to end the 25-year-old ethnic conflict before the planned visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the island nation in February, a media report said here on Sunday.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa is likely to announce the full implementation of the provisions on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution shortly," the 'Nation' Newspaper said in its front page story.

The 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution gave effect to the devolution provisions of the controversial Indo-Lanka Accord, signed in July 1987.

Highly placed sources told The Nation that the President is poised to do this before the scheduled visit of Singh to Sri Lanka as the chief guest on the country's 60th anniversary celebrations on February 4 next year.An invitation has already been extended to the Indian Prime Minister in this connection.

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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200712091657.htm

Sri Lankan pineapple promotional drive in Karachi

The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Karachi organised a Sri Lankan pineapple promotional campaign in the super markets 'Park Towers' and the 'Forum' here on November 23rd and 24th, respectively. The objectives of this promotional campaign included an increase in pineapple imports from Sir Lanka by the current importers.

(a) To make awareness of Sri Lankan pineapp1e among the Pakistani people.

(b) To show the correct way/art of cutting the pineapple.

(c) To taste the fresh pineapple by the general public.

(d) To increase consumption of pineapple.

(e) To give wider publicity by the media on the promotional event.

(f) To encourage potential pineapple importers and agents to import of pineapple from Sri Lanka.

The Pineapple Show in Park Towers was inaugurated by Mr Majyd Aziz, former resident of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and the founder Chairman of Pakistan-Sri Lanka Business Forum. The event in the Forum was inaugurated by Hon. Sujat Ali Baig, Minister of Education and Literacy of Sindh Province of Pakistan.

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http://www.pakissan.com/english/news/newsDetail.php?newsid=15778