Notice reissued on Prabhakaran

Colombo High Court Judge Kumuduni Wickramasinghe Yesterday reissued notice on four suspects including LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in connection with the assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.
The Prosecution submitted before Court that the notice had been sent to Mullaitivu District Secretary to hand over the suspects absconding from Court but he had not reported so far the measures taken in this regard. The prosecution informed court the next steps it would take in this connection on the next calling date.
The Court also refused to grant bail to the two suspects who were in remand custody in connection with this murder based on the grounds that they were taken into custody under Emergency Laws.
Former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was assassinated in a sniper attack at his residence at Longden Place, Colombo on August 12, 2005.
The Attorney General filed the case against Velupillai Prabhakaran, Shiva Shankar alias Pottuamman, Charles alias Charlis Master, Komadee Manimekala alias Madee, Muttaiyah Sahadevan and Isithor Arokyanathan alias Babu for conspiring with another LTTE member Vinothan to assassinate Minister Kadirgamar and committing the murder as a result of the conspiracy made at Killinochchi and at Colombo between January 01, 2005 and August 12, 2005.
Muttaiyah Sahadevan and Isithor Arokyanathan alias Babu are in remand custody. Attorneys-at-Law Vinayagamoorthi and Thavarasa appearing for them pleaded before the Court to grant them bail. Deputy Solicitor General Kapila Vidyaratne and State Counsel Shani Kularatne appeared for the Attorney General.

Japan's women beaten by Germany in bronze medal soccer match

Japan had their bid for a first ever Olympic podium finish in women’s soccer crushed with a 2-0 defeat to world champions Germany in the bronze medal match at the Beijing Games on Thursday. Norio Sasaki’s side controlled long periods of the match in drizzly conditions at Workers’ Stadium but substitute Fatmire Bajramaj grabbed a second-half double to secure the Germans their third consecutive Olympic bronze medal. Sasaki was naturally disappointed with the result but praised his players for their efforts in making the last four for the first time. ‘‘All the players have done their best. They did everything they could and put out everything they have been working for,’’ Sasaki said. ‘‘We lost but we will learn from the result. All the players did all they could and because of that I am very satisfied. We will go back to Japan proud,’’ he said.Seeking to avenge their 2-0 defeat at last year’s Women’s World Cup in China, Japan bossed the first half and it was only some inspired goalkeeping from Nadine Angerer that kept the East Asian champions at bay. Angerer got down low to her right to palm away an Aya Miyama shot in the 21st minute and then tipped over a long range effort from Yukari Kinga. Japan continued to press and Melanie Behringer was next to come to Germany’s rescue, clearing Homare Sawa’s volley off the line in the 23rd minute. Sawa and Ayumi Hara both went close as Japan continued to force the pace after the break but it was the Germans who took the lead against the run of play on 69 minutes. Miho Fukumoto could only parry Kerstin Garefrekes’s downward header and Bajramaj pounced to smash home from a tight angle. Japan began to run out of steam as the match wore on and Bajramaj put the game out of reach when she beat Fukumoto at her near post with the second goal three minutes from time. ‘‘We wanted to be strong from the beginning but Japan were active in the first half and tried to attack and had five shots on goal whereas we had hardly any,’’ said Germany coach Silvia Neid. ‘‘We needed to change in the second half and the creative players that came on brought some action and fortunately we were able to score two goals. We are happy to get the bronze medal.’’ In the gold medal match, the United States beat Brazil 1-0 in extra time to defend its title.( news from- Japantoday)

Suicide attack at Pakistan arms plant kills 64 people

Pakistani security officials examine the site of suicide bombing at the gate of an ordinance factory in Wah, about 35 kilometers, or 20 miles, west of the capital, Islamabad, on Thursday. (The Associated Press)

LTTE’s garrison town of Thunukkai is under siege

Sri Lanka Army troops attached to the 57th Division, launched their operations to capture the strategic LTTE garrison town of Thunukkai. According to reports arriving from Mullaittivu Eastern battlefront, troops of Army 57 division are now encircling the Thunukkai town amid heavy resistance from the Tigers. Sri Lankan Troops have commenced approaching the strategically vital town from the North and the West since early this morning.
Troops which observed the locality, noticed that the place is fully fortified and also found concrete bunkers built at the entrance to Thunukkai town.
T 55 battle tanks of the Armored Corps shelled their targets while, artillery guns shelled the same locality. Infantry then moved forwards, but were met with stiff resistance by the LTTE. However, troops operated their tactical ploy and overcame the heavy resistance, and began encircling the Thunukkai town.
An officer from the battle front said that at any moment, troops would march into Thunukkai victoriously and consolidate their position.
When Thunukkai falls, it is believed that the rest of the strategic places like Mallavi, Vadakadu and Mankuklam are expected to fall, as Tigers do not have any holding powers anymore, because when army captures Thunukkai, then Kilinonochi would come under direct threat of Sri Lanka Artillery, as 132 mm guns can fire to a distance of 27 km.
Thunukkai garrison town of the LTTE is situated halfway on the Vellankulam - Mankulam road and has been a strategic centre for the LTTE in the last two decades.
To repulse the military operations, the LTTE leadership appointed the Jaffna commander Thileepan as the overall commander. The LTTE desperately needed a counter offensive or a counter attack and Thileepan is said to be a specialist in such tactical encounters.
As the morale of the LTTE cadres are now pretty low and also they experiences shortage of manpower, it is said that Thileepan could not utilize his military strategies to the full.
An officer when contacted told Asian Tribune that the SL Army knows Thileepan's strategies very well and are well prepared to face any blitzkrieg manipulated by him at any given time.

Mervyn still at large

Labour Minister Mervyn Silva is still at large, 48 hours after a court order was issued calling for his arrest.
Police Spokesperson, SSP Ranjith Gunasekera told Sri lankan news paper that ‘action would be taken’ following the court order.
"The IG has said that action would be taken in line with the court order, but I cannot tell what the action would be," he said.
Gunasekera also said that Silva has not been arrested yet.
Meanwhile, the JVP yesterday charged that Minister Mervyn Silva who has been ordered by courts to be arrested over the assault of a journalist has requested the police for security to attend a UPFA election rally in Anuradhapura today (20).
JVP’s chief ministerial candidate for the North Central Province, Wasantha Samarasinghe told the media yesterday that Silva had forwarded a request to the Anuradhapura police to provide him with a back up vehicle for security to attend a government rally in Anuradhapura.
Samarasinghe said the it would be interesting to see how the police would respond to the request given the court order that has already been issued to the police calling for Silva’s arrest.
He said that the government has now been given ‘a last chance’ to show to the people that it stands for and protects democracy in the country by arresting Silva following the court order.
"Arresting Mervyn Silva would show that the government respected democracy and would also help protect the independence of the judiciary. So far the court order has been ignored and the police is avoiding his arrest," he charged.
Samarasinghe said that if the Anuradhapura police provide a back up vehicle to Silva for security, it could be considered that it was done with the blessings of President Mahinda Rajapakse as he is the Commander in Chief.
He alleged that Silva has acted with ‘great power’ in requesting for additional security from the police when the same police has been ordered to arrest him because he knew that no action would be taken against him.
"This would be yet another chance for the people to see how genuine the government is in safeguarding democracy," Samarasinghe said.

Religious leaders met the Commisioner of Elections

Members of the Society of Religions met the Commissioner of Elections today to request him to take steps to ensure the provincial council election is free of violence. Among the religious leaders that attended the meeting were Ven. Ittapane Dhamalankara Thera, Ven. Brahamanwatte Sivali Thera, Ven Maduluwave Sobitha Thera and Archbishop of Colombo Rev. Oswald Gomis.

Religious and ethnic amity are essential forerunners for lasting peace

Some of the happy novice monks in front of the Sanghawasa constructed by the Don Bosco Salasians Sri Lanka at Palugollagama
( The Sanghawasa was built by the Sri Lanka Don Bosco Salarians at a cost of around Rs 1.5 million and the donation was offered by Rev Fr Anthony Humor Pinto, Sri Lanka Country Director/Provincial Superior, Don Bosco Salasians Sri Lanka.) pic - Asian Tribune