Officers in the security forces personally in charge of security installations, both in the City and outstations, will be held accountable if their lapses lead to terrorist attacks. 

No amount of campaigns or fundamental rights cases will deter him from prompt action. He would not hesitate to depart from resorting to lengthy, time consuming inquiries to punish the culprits. 

The warning came from the new Minister of Defence, Tilak Marapana. 

He spelt it out clearly at a recent conference of security forces officials responsible for security in the City.

Changes in spooks' outfits

Some top slots in the country's intelligence will soon have to be filled by the United National Front Government. 

Director General of Intelligence Cyril Herath, who overlooked the nation's two premier intelligence agencies, the Directorate of Internal Intelligence (DII) and the Directorate of Foreign Intelligence (DFI) has called it quits from the first week of December. This was despite him being tasked to overlook some specific matters before the last Parliamentary General elections. 

Former DIG (CID), T.V. Sumanasekera, who was Additional Director General of the Directorate of Internal Intelligence retires tomorrow. He was on contract upon retirement from the CID. SSP Neville Wijesinghe has been tasked with the responsibility of overlooking work at the DII.

Insiders say changes are also likely in other intelligence arms of the Government. This includes the infamous Special Branch under the Police Department, known for a string of colossal blunders and insidious political activity against the opposition, during the December Parliamentary elections. Some SB men who wielded as much clout, if not more, than the top bosses have already been identified for what are called their misdeeds, these insiders say.

Dead end for deadly weapon

The Christmas eve ceasefire between the Government and Tiger guerrillas has set a poser to at least one multi million dollar weapons deal. 

The controversial procurement, which irked the ire of human rights groups, it now transpires, has to be used within a specific time frame. That is before the expiry of its shelf life. 

Whilst some sources contended that the shelf life had already expired, others said the time limit would lapse within the next several weeks.

As for the complaints of human rights groups, now comes the news that the United States will also use the same weapon against al Qaeda hideouts in the caves of Afghanistan.

Key changes

New Year's eve not withstanding, some top level changes in key slots in the security forces are likely to come up for discussion at an important meeting next week.