Army to try as Navy, Police quit

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 July 1999, 18:42 GMT]
Lieutenant P.K.T.Perera, of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Kayts, informed Jaffna additional magistrate S.A.E.Ekanathan today that the SLN could not arrest Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) cadres Karalasingham(Paatsha), and Vettivel Selvaraja as instructed, as they were hiding on Delft island.

Delft island is the considered the EPDP's stronghold. The group maintains a heavy armed presence on the island.

Lt. Perera told the courts that the SLN had no control over Delft island. The officer also submitted documents to "prove" this, said court sources.

SLN Kayts Commander G.M.T.V.Peiris also appeared in courts today.

He confirmed Lt. Perera's statement to the Judge, who had issued warrants for the arrest of the two EPDP cadres. The Commander asked the Judge to extend the arrest warrants.

Kayts Police OIC, S.Gamini also appeared to inform the Judge that he could not arrest two other EPDP cadres, David Murali and Vincent.

He told the courts that when he went to the EPDP camp to arrest them, the Kayts EPDP leader, Mano had told him that they too had escaped to Delft island.

Paatsha, Vettivel, David, and Vincent are wanted for the murder of a youth in Kayts on May 8 this year.

The Judge extended the arrest warrants on the 4 cadres to July 21 and issued new arrest warrants to the Kayts Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 51-2 Brigade commander.