Untitled Document

Front Page

Arrested LTTE cadres
Charges must stay; bail possible - AG
By Shelani Perera
The Attorney General's Department has refused to reduce charges against the two LTTE cadres whose release is being demanded by the LTTE in exchange for the six soldiers they have kept hostage.

However, the AG agreed not to object to bail for the LTTE cadres when the matter comes before the Court of Appeal.

The two Tiger guerrilla cadres now stand indicted under the Offensive Weapons Act before a Magistrate in Trincomalee. This was after Police charged them with possessing assault rifles and grenades when they were arrested for felling trees in a forest reserve.

A Magistrate is not empowered to grant bail for such an offence. Hence, some UNF leaders, in a bid to defuse a developing crisis, sought to have the indictments made under the Firearms Ordinance where a Magistrate is empowered to grant bail. The Attorney General's refusal to "soft pedal" the charges will now see lawyers for the LTTE appearing before the Court of Appeal in Colombo tomorrow. However, the suspects will be required to appear before the Magistrate's Court at a later date to answer charges framed against them. If found guilty, they are liable for a jail sentence or a fine.

But the question remains whether the LTTE will succumb to the jurisdiction of Sri Lanka courts. These developments come as concern over the release of the six soldiers grew yesterday as the guerrillas continued to strongly resist moves both by Government and the ceasefire monitors to release them.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe met Monitoring Mission Chief Trond Furuhovd at Temple Trees to discuss the matter. Major General Furuhovd is due to go to Kilinochchi today for talks with LTTE political Wing Secretary S. P. Thamilchelvan.

An SLMM spokesman said Maj. Gen. Furuhovd would discuss how to settle the present dispute while preventing such problems from recurring.

On Friday, a massive protest was organised by families of the six soldiers in Trincomalee town demanding their release. A large number of residents joined the families. Roadblocks were put up at several junctions bringing the vehicular movements to a halt.

Back to Front Page