Trinco court releases four LTTE cadres

[TamilNet, Friday, 17 February 2006, 12:37 GMT]
Mr.V.Ramakamalan, Trincomalee Magistrate Friday ordered the release of four LTTE cadres who were arrested in 2005 by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) when they were traveling in a boat in the Trincomalee Sea on bail. Four LTTE cadres, S.Shanmugaraj, Xavier Ranjit, S.Vijayakumar and Luxmanan Aravinthan were immediately taken to Wanni under the escort of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), legal sources said.

Mr.Serasinghe, Assistant Superintendent of Police told court when the case was taken up for inquiry Friday that the LTTE suspects were charged at the initial stage under Aquatic Resources Act. Later they were charged afresh under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Now the Attorney General has issued instruction to charge them under the normal law. Hence the Police have no objection to release the suspects on bail, Mr.Serasinghe submitted to court, legal sources said.

The Magistrate accepting the submission of the police made order releasing these suspects on cash and surety bail. Each suspect was ordered cash bail of Rs 2500/= and surety bail in a sum of Rs Twenty Thousand with one surety. Suspects were further ordered to report to the Trincomalee Harbor Police once in a week, legal sources said.

The Magistrate further ordered the Police to submit further report on April 6. Attorney-at-Laws Mr.K.Sivapalan and Mr.A.Jegasothy appeared for the suspects, legal sources said.

Thereafter the released LTTE cadres were brought to the Trincomalee SLMM office. They were then taken in a van to be handed over to LTTE leadership in Wanni under the escort of SLMM monitor Ms Anna Helena. A team of police officials in two jeeps provided security to the van in which the LTTE cadres were traveling, sources said.