23 Muslim detainees released in Ea’ravoor

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 May 2008, 14:04 GMT]
Two of the 25 Muslims arrested and interrogated by the Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) following the STF firing on Muslim protesters 26 May in Ea’raavoor are continued to be held in detention while the rest have been released Thursday, sources in Ea’raavoor said.

Police have asked the owners of the motor cycles and bicycles confiscated during the arrest to recover then from the police station presenting the necessary documents.

The Muslim youth who had stoned a lorry during the protest, and the Muslim cattle trader, who had been late in returning from Batticaloa where he had gone to purchase cattle, are still being held in detention.

Following the killing of a key paramilitary operative Shanthan and his associate of the TMVP Pillayan Group in the Muslim town of Kaaththaankudi 22 May, two Muslim traders were abducted by the TMVP Pillayan Group which triggered the protest.

STF commandos in Ea'raavor opened fire on Muslim civilians who protested against the abduction of two Muslim traders by the TMVP paramilitary by blocking the Vaazhaichcheani Batticaloa main road 26 May around 5:00 p.m., killing a mother and wounding a 24-year-old youth.