Tamil youth files FR petition in SC

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 April 2007, 00:32 GMT]
A Tamil youth, who earlier served in Iraq with a security firm, filed a Fundamental Rights application in the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court challenging the arrest and detention served on him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). He has begged the SC to order for his release and to instruct the State to pay a compensation of 100 million rupees for violating his fundamental rights. He has cited the Director of the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID), Officer-in-Charge of the Gampaha Police Station, Deputy Inspector general of Police (DIG), Gampaha region, DIG for the Western province, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Defence Ministry Secretary and Attorney General (AG).

The petitioner M.G.L.Vass in his application states that he was arrested on March 13 evening around 4.30 p.m. at his residence in Kaduwela by the Gampaha Police on suspicion that he had been an important leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Vaas was handed over to the TID of the Police on March 23. Thereafter he has been served detention order under the PTA without being produced in court.

The petitioner further states in his application that the police who came to his house to arrest him saw a photograph of him in military uniform with arms in hand hanging in his house.

The police mistook that he was a leading figure in the LTTE and released that photograph to the media stating that they had arrested an important leader of the LTTE who was hiding in Kaduwela area to launch a major attack.

The petitioner adds in his application that before returning to Sri Lanka he worked in a firm in Iraq after United States of America invaded that country. The US Defence Ministry while in Iraq gave him military training including the usage of sniper rifle. Such military training has been given to persons working in Iraq after being occupied by the USA He has been in possession of a permit to use arms, which was issued by the US Defence Ministry while in Iraq.

The petitioner states that he was arrested and being kept in detention illegally because he is a Tamil. The Police have violated his fundamental rights. He was earlier married to a Sinhalese.