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Life imprisonment for LTTE intelligence wing cadre amidst bid to abolish PTA

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… also indicted for attempt to assassinate MR after war

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Over 13 years after the successful conclusion of the war, the Colombo High Court has sentenced an ex-LTTE intelligence wing member, Thangavelu Nimalan, to life imprisonment.

The Colombo HC gave the ruling on 28 Feb., amidst ongoing efforts to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Nimalan, taken into custody, in Kilinochchi, under the PTA, was indicted in the Colombo HC in 2011. At the time of his arrest, Nimalan had two kilos of RDX explosives in his possession.

According to police headquarters, the convict was also charged with alleged involvement in attempts to assassinate the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the war and afterwards.

Investigations revealed an abortive plot by the LTTE to trigger explosions at the Maligapitiya ground, Kurunegala, on 02 Feb, 2009 and at a Badulla rally on 05 August, 2009 held in support of UPFA Local Government candidates contesting the Uva Provincial Council polls.

Nimalan was also indicted on carrying out a claymore mine attack on a truck carrying a group of police commandos on 28 May, 2007 and organising a suicide attack on a gathering near Godapitiya Jumma Mosque, Akuressa, on 13 March 2009. The blast killed 14 persons and left 35 others seriously injured. Among those present at the event were lawmakers A. H. M. Fowzie, Mahinda Wijesekara, Mahinda

Yapa Abeywardena, Pandu Bandaranaike, the late Chandrasiri Gajadeera and Ali Ameer.

Police headquarters said that Nimalan had been with a group of operatives, under the command of the then LTTE intelligence wing leader, identified as Muththappan.

The arrest of Nimalan, along with several others assigned to the Muththappan’s group, led to the recovery of explosives, suicide kits and a range of equipment.

The TNA has been demanding the abolition of the PTA, and its campaign has received the backing of Western powers, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), which has said the offence of terrorism should be included in the Penal Code with a new definition for terrorism. The HRCSL has advocated that terrorism should be investigated under the General Law of the country with necessary amendments.



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Power cuts today and tomorrow -CEB

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The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has announced that island-wide power cuts will be implemented between 3.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. today (10) and tomorrow (11).

Sri Lanka faced a power outage that affected the entire island at around 11.15 a.m. on Sunday (09).

 

 

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Four dead dozens injured in collision at Thorayaya Kurunegala

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It has been reported that four people have died, and over 25 others have been  injured after two buses collided in the Thorayaya area of Kurunegala.

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Clean Sri Lanka is a project that removes obstacles to living a civilized life – Prime Minister

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Prime Minister Dr. HariniAmarasuriya stated that the Clean Sri Lanka program is an initiative aimed at removing obstacles to living a civilized life. The Prime Minister made this remark on Sunday (09) morning while participating in the ‘A Beautiful Beach, an Attractive Tourist Destination’  held at the Mattakkuliya Beach Park.

As part of this initiative, beach cleaning programs were conducted simultaneously at 124 locations across the Western and Southern Provinces from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., with the goal of cleaning 1,740 kilometers of coastline nationwide.

Speaking further,the  Prime Minister  stated:

“Today, under the Clean Sri Lanka program, we are undertaking cleaning activities across many kilometers of shoreline around the island. However, this initiative is not just about physical cleanliness. It holds a deeper meaning—eliminating obstacles to a civilized way of life, not only in our surroundings but also in our mindset.”

“This transformation is not something the government can achieve alone. It requires a collective effort. It must start within ourselves, from our homes, villages, streets, and marketplaces. Public participation is crucial for this initiative to be successful. Today, we are here not in our official capacities, but as citizens of this country, committed to making a difference.”

“Through the Clean Sri Lanka program, we must unite to bring about the transformation that our people expect”.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala, Governor of the Western Province Hanif Yusuf, Chairman of the Colombo District Development Committee Lakshman Nipunarachchi,  Colombo District Secretary Ginige Prasanna Kumara, General Manager of the Marine Environment Protection Authority Jagath Gunasekara, officers of the Sri Lanka Police and the Tri-Forces, and local community members.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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