35 civilians arrested in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 May 2007, 11:29 GMT]
Sri Lankan armed forces Thursday and Friday arrested thirty-five civilians, majority of them Tamils, in cordon and search operations conducted in Wellawatte, and Vaalaithoddam in Colombo city. Five have been remanded on the orders of the Colombo Magistrate and the others are detained in police station and are being interrogated, police sources said.

Ten civilians were arrested at Vaalaithoddam and three at Wellawatte Friday morning, as they reportedly failed to prove their identity and provide satisfactory reason for their stay in the location.

Most of them were arrested while staying in lodges and with friends' houses, sources said.

Twenty-two civilians were arrested in Wellawatte Thursday and six of them were produced in court and remanded. Others are being detained in police stations for further inquiry, sources said.