Alleged abductors in Akkaraipattu allowed bail

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 October 2002, 20:35 GMT]
Akkaraipattu magistrate M.I.M. Issadeen, released on bail, two suspects arrested for abducting a Muslim youth, S.M.Abdul Wajeed (24), from his home on 15 October. The youth was later found at his home three days after he disappeared. The alleged abduction, initially blamed on Liberation Tigers, provoked widespread protests and hartal in Trincomalee town and nearly precipitated Tamil Muslim clashes in the eastern province.

Soon after he was taken to the Police station Abdul Wajeed had told the police that the cadres of Liberation Tigers (LTTE) abducted him. Later he recanted his story and admitted to the police that he was taken away by some one under the instruction of the Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP) and that rumors were spread that the LTTE was behind his disappearance.

Based on Wajeed's statements the police arrested the two suspects and on Court's instructions kept them in detention. Today the Judge accepted the detainees request and released them on Rs 50,000 bail for each suspect.

Sources say that several elements, including the EPDP, bent on sabotaging the peace process, are active in eastern province. These elements would like to provoke a Muslim-Tamil confrontation in the east, and the abduction incident is part of this nefarious effort, sources added.