Mervin in car accident

It has been reported that Minister of Labour Dr. Mervin Silva has been involved in a car accident at Dehiaththakandiya a few moments ago.

The Chairman of Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha has died in the accident and Dr. Mervin Silva has been injured in the accident say reports reaching us.
Dr. Mervin Silva is being brought to Colombo at the moment.

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http://www.lankatruth.com/
Photos,
http://www.lankadeepa.lk/2008/05/01/front_news/tem.html

Three arrested in Britain over Tamil Tiger probe: police

Three men were arrested in London and Wales Tuesday as part of a long-term police investigation into the Tamil Tigers guerrillas in Sri Lanka, Scotland Yard said.

The trio were arrested following dawn raids on homes and business addresses in Newtown in Wales, in Mitcham, southwest London as well as raids elsewhere in Surrey.

Two men aged 39 and 46 were arrested at separate addresses in Newtown. A third, aged 33, was held in Mitcham. All three men were arrested on suspicion of the "commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism".

"It is not linked to Al-Qaeda-type activity or inspired terrorism. It is in relation to support, procurement and fundraising for a proscribed organisation, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers)," a police spokesman said of the arrests.

"This is part of a long-term investigation into alleged funding and procurement activity in support of terrorism overseas and two people have already been charged in connection with this investigation," he added.

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http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQZP1kwk5u23VQ2V4WJijiLyspAA

Sri Lanka, Iran sign six agreements

The visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa witnessed the signing of six agreements between the two countries and vowed to push the relations to a new level, officials said on Tuesday.

The officials from the Sri Lankan presidential secretariat said among the major agreements were financial assistance for the expansion of the Sapugaskanda oil refinery and the Uma Oya project, Iran's development assistance to Sri Lanka, and the establishment of a political consultation mechanism.

Addressing journalists after bilateral talks and the agreements signing ceremony, Ahmadinejad pointed out that comprehensive cooperation between the two countries would provide security for both.

"We are seeking justice and fair play in the world. Sri Lanka and Iran have agreed to cooperate in all spheres for the mutual benefit of each other," said the Iranian president.

He said there had been a constructive dialogue for the betterment and economic prosperity of the two countries whose cooperation has been increasing, and has the capacity to increase further.

Rajapaksa thanked his Iranian counterpart for the economic aid.

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http://finance.indiainfo.com/2008/04/29/0804291127_iran_lanka.html

LTTE used youth as `cannon fodder`: Rajapaksa

Sri Lanka has slammed the LTTE on the question of recruiting child soldiers, saying the rebel group had used the nation's youth as "pawns and cannon fodder" in its "brutal operations" against the state.

"Sri Lanka has, for the past three decades, been faced with a threat by the most brutal terrorist organisation in the world -- a terror outfit that does not hesitate to use our youth as pawns and cannon fodder in its brutal operations to attack the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country", Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

The President, who was addressing the seventh meeting of the Commonwealth Youth Ministers here yesterday, said the government realised the danger warfare posed to children and youth.

the Lasting consequences of the brain-washing of child soldiers is such that even in adult life, many of them remain committed to violence and terror, he said.

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http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=439581&sid=SAS

Turning tables on terrorism

We, the ordinary Sri Lankans, knew without an iota of doubt who assassinated Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and why they did so. But a small minority of individuals - certain discredited politicians and biased journalists among them - in the immediate aftermath of the attack which was carried out by a suicide bomber (the suicide bomber is the hallmark of LTTE terror) tried to obfuscate the real state of affairs by diverting public attention elsewhere.

While the majority grieved over the death of Mr Fernandopulle and fourteen others with him in a terrorist suicide bombing at the start of a sports event at Welisara that fateful morning on Sunday 6th April, these malicious people seemed to gloat over the mayhem (with a self-congratulatory sense of being vindicated no doubt).

In order to play down the gruesome carnage they depicted it as yet another incident in what they claim to be a pattern of tit for tat violence between the Government and the LTTE; and by refusing to unequivocally blame the terrorist organization for the crime they insinuated that the government could have some complicity in it.

Browsing different websites on the Internet only a few hours after the bus bombing at Piliyandala today (25th April) I saw hints of the same sort of response from covert champions of terror shedding crocodile tears.

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http://www.island.lk/2008/04/28/opinion2.html