Trincomalee LTTE Intelligence Leader Confirmed Killed

The Tiger (LTTE) terrorist, gunned down by the Army troops this morning (19) in MANACHCHENA, east of NEELAPOLA in TRINCOMALEE was confirmed to be the LTTE’s intelligence wing leader for TRINCOMALEE, named SOUNDRARAJAN alias THANGAN.

He had been entrusted the clandestine operation since January, this year after his predecessor, ARI CHELVAM was slain by the Army some time back.

He had infiltrated this crowded area to create chaos with the intention of disrupting normalcy in the peaceful areas in the east.

During a clearing operation in the east of NEELAPOLA, TRINCOMALEE on Thursday (19) morning at about 9.45 a.m. troops gunned down one terrorist and recovered one 9-mm pistol and two magazines from his possession.

Extracted from,
http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=14076

60kgs GELIGNITE RECOVERED

60kgs of Gelignite which were hidden under the load of coconut and salts were recovered, at the PANDULAGAMA Police/ Army combined road block while they were transporting in a lorry on the PUTTLEM- ANURADHAPURA route around 12.45pm today (19).. The driver and the cleaner of the lorry were arrested and handed over to the NOCHCHIYAGAMA Police for further investigations.

Extracted from,
http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=13280

'LTTE aimed to collect 3.5 million pounds in Italy'

A group of 33 suspected LTTE activists arrested in Italy were engaged in collecting through extortion from ethnic Tamils a whopping 3.5 million pounds for funding the ethnic war in Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry said here today.

Citing the Italian investigators, it said that the arrested people were "collecting more than 3.5 million British pounds worth of money to be deposited in Swiss Banks to bankroll a war in Sri Lanka." Eight of the suspects were arrested in Naples, 7 in Palermo, 3 in Genoa and the rest elsewhere in Italy, where the money was being collected by the Tigers through illegal activities of extortion and drug sales, the ministry quoted a report as saying.

The Sri Lankan embassy in Rome said it would coordinate with Italian authorities for further investigation into the matter.

According to the Italian police the "anti-terrorist" investigation was launched following a complaint that some Tamils living in Italy were being threatened, about two years ago, the ministry here said.

extracted from,
http://www.ptinews.com/

Nalini's release plea hearing postponed to July 2

The Madras High Court Thursday adjourned to July 2 the hearing on a petition by Nalini, serving a life term for her role in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, for early release for good behaviour.

When the case came up for hearing before Justice S. Nagamuthu, the government's counsel said they were not prepared with their counter to Janata Party president Subramaniam Swamy's objections to Nalini's release.

Nalini's counsel V. Elango and S. Doraisamy opposed Swamy's petition countering her plea to be released from jail and asked the court to reject it.

With no clear reply from the state government on its position on Nalini's continued jail term, the judge put the next hearing of the case to July 2.

Gandhi was assassinated May 21, 1991, in Sriperumbudur on the outskirts of Chennai by cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Of the 26 people convicted in the case, four were given the death penalty. Nalini was one of the four, but her sentence was later commuted to a life term. She was convicted of protecting the assassination conspirators.

Nalini, 37, has been in Tamil Nadu's Vellore jail for 17 years.

Read more,
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/World/20080619/978865.html

Sri Lanka govt warns of possible takeover of IOC filling stations

Sri Lanka's Minister of Petroleum A.H.M. Fowzie today said that he has sent written notices to the Indian Oil Company (IOC) on a possible takeover of filling stations operated by the company.

Speaking in Parliament, the Minister pointed out that the government is incurring heavy losses by selling diesel and kerosene oil at lower prices.

He said the IOC has avoided this crisis by selling diesel at higher prices and by stopping its sale of kerosene oil. This practice has worsened the government’s situation as almost all consumers come to the government-owned CEYPETCO filling stations to buy kerosene and diesel, he explained.

Meanwhile, the government’s chief whip Dinesh Gunawardane pointed out that steps have been taken to draft a national policy on fuel consumption. He added that accordingly, a restriction may be imposed on vehicles with high fuel consumption.

Extracted from,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/June19145625JR.html

'Hopefully Tendulkar will break Lara's record in Sri Lanka'

Muttiah Muralitharan is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers to have graced the game. The ace off-spinner has a tally of 735 wickets from 120 Test matches and is galloping towards the magical 1,000-wicket mark. Many believe he is the only one capable of attaining that milestone.

At 36, he is not getting any younger, but his bowling seems to be improving with every outing. Next in his path is the famed Indian batting line-up, in the three-Test series in Sri Lanka starting July 23.

Muralitharan believes that though India will start as favourites, the Sri Lankans are confident they can repeat their Test series triumph of 2001.

Special Correspondent Harish Kotian caught up with him in Mumbai to discuss the forthcoming Test series.

India have done well away from home in the last few years. Can we say that they start as favourites in the upcoming series?

Definitely, they have to start as favourites, because they have done well in Australia. They also performed in a few series before that, like in South Africa; so they will start as favourites. I would like them to start as favourites, because we have to come back and beat them.

Read more,
http://inhome.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jun/19inter.htm

Sri Lanka tea prices seen heading for correction

Sri Lankan tea prices appear to be heading for a correction with many grades from the estates easing at this week's Colombo auctions where a larger volume was on offer, brokers said.

Bartleet Produce Marketing said the quantity of tea arriving at the Colombo auction this week increased to 8.08 million kg from 6.89 million kg traded the previous week.

There was lower demand for teas from the estates compared with last week while the ex-estate crops were also lower.

"In the Ex-estate segment, the market witnessed an overall lower demand as compared to last week," it said in a market report.

But low grown teas, cultivated mainly by small holders in the southern districts, continued to sell well.

The stronger-than-usual buying in recent weeks that had kept prices high was expected to end, the brokers said.

Read more,
http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=1212020835

Public vigilance averts disaster, hand grenade found inside a bus

A major disaster was averted this evening(June 18), when a timely detection of an improvised hand grenade was made by a passenger on a public transportation bus plying from Awissawella to Colombo, route no: 122 near Salaka, close to Ibbanwela junction.

The hand grenade was detected by a Navy sailor P.K.V Rathnasiri who got suspicious of an unattended box. As no individual claimed ownership of the parcel Rathnasiri along with the bus conductor immediately informed the Police calling for bomb disposal squads while, assuring safety of the passengers and commuters nearby.

The hand grenade was set inside a box and improvised, the Slave Island Police OIC said speaking to our correspondent. The Slave Island Police is conducting further investigations.

Extracted from,
http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080618_09

Italian police arrest 28 suspected Tamil Tigers

Twenty-eight suspected members of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers rebel group have been arrested in Italy, anti-terrorist police said on Tuesday.

A police statement said the 28, all from Sri Lanka, were detained in several cities.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebel movement is fighting for an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka.

More details of the operation, which involved about 200 police agents, were expected to be issued later on Wednesday.

Extracted from,
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1862171920080618

Sri Lanka rebels reject laying down arms for talks

Sri Lanka's Tamil rebels have rejected a request to lay down or decommission their weapons before peace talks, saying they can still win the war against government forces.

The government said last week it would only reconsider re-starting a peace process if the rebels agreed to lay down or decommission their weapons and issued a clear timetable for negotiations.

But Balasingham Nadesan, the rebels' political head, said laying down arms could weaken their bargaining power at any talks.

"Any approach that disturbs the balance of power and parity of status (between the government and rebels) are counter-productive to the peace process," Nadesan said in an email interview with Reuters.

"The balance of power and the parity of status are very crucial for any meaningful negotiations."

The government request came after the rebels said last week they wanted to meet Norwegian peace brokers to resume a stalled peace process.

Read more,
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL308029.htm

LTTE mellows down Tamil Eelam demand Seeks credible alternative proposals

Assuring that their demand for Tamil Eelam is not against India's interest, the LTTE has said that it sought "credible alternate proposals" to resolve the 25-year-old ethnic conflict.

"We believe firmly, our strong cultural ties to our brothers and sisters in India will help their policy makers to select a just and fair path towards our people," senior LTTE leader, Mr KV Balakumaran said.

"We have said clearly Tamil Eelam is not against India; we will uphold Indian welfare as our own. There was a time, when India looked after our welfare as her own. India will change its current policy towards us one day," he told the Australian Tamil Bro adcasting Corporation (ATBC).

He said the LTTE was guided by the ideal of a separate homeland since its inception. "However, the movement has articulated clearly that it is open to examining credible alternate proposals. We regret that this request has not received the attention it deserves," Mr Balakumaran said.

Read more,
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/60161706.htm

Tamil victim is named

Detectives have named the Tamil man whose body was discovered in a disused cash-and-carry building frequented by rough sleepers.

Investigating officers believe Thiyagarajah Thiyananthan, 40, was murdered at the premises behind a retail park in Atlip Road, Alperton, last week.

A post mortem report ascertained he had died from had injuries but detectives have refused to say whether there was a weapon involved.

Mr Thiyananthan is believed to have lived in the UK for a 'substantial' amount of years after leaving Sri Lanka.

Det Insp Tony McKweon, who is leading the investigation, said he was keeping an open mind on the motive but had ruled out any gang-related connection to Mr Thiyananthan's death.

He added: "We have a line of enquiry we are currently looking into."

Read more,
http://www.wktimes.co.uk/

Home Ministry Probes Allegation On Malaysian Link To Intended Bomb Attack In Colombo

The Home Ministry has begun investigations into an allegation that some Malaysians planned to give instructions to a group of Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger terrorists to launch a bomb attack in Colombo.

This followed the arrest of six members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ellam (LTTE) on Saturday in Wattala, Sri Lanka, with the seizure of 2.7kg of high-powered C4 explosives.

According to a news report in the Sri Lankan online daily, 'The Mirror', the suspects under interrogation by (Sri Lankan government troops), said they were waiting for instructions from some Malaysians - via the telephone - to launch the attack.

Commenting on the news report, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the government would investigate the matter thoroughly, and take severe action against any Malaysian with links to the LTTE.

He said his ministry had contacted the Sri Lankan government to clarify the allegation in the news report, and seek its assistance to obtain information on the alleged links between some Malaysians and the LTTE.

"I have checked the news report personally...Malaysia will never tolerate any type of terrorism. If it is true that some Malaysians are involved with the LTTE, we will take severe action.

Read more,
http://web7.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=340029

Sri Lanka to establish a council to prevent LTTE attacks on civilians

Sri Lanka is planning to establish an all party security council under the directions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to prevent LTTE attacks on the civilians in the country, the government said today.

The council is based on a proposal put forward by the by the members of the newly formed breakaway Marxist party National Freedom Front (NFF).

NFF leader MP Wimal Weerawansa handed over its proposals for setting up of an All Party Defence Council to President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday at the Temple Trees.

MP Weerawansa offering his party’s support to reach an all party consensus to establish the council pointed out that the party could play a pivotal role in empowering the civilian masses to protect themselves from the LTTE threats.

Preliminary talks pertaining to the establishment of this Council will commence in next week, government announced.

Extracted from,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/June17114536CH.html