SLA arrests seven youths in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 00:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) arrested seven youths during searches conducted in connection with the claymore attacks Saturday night in Uduvil area and Sunday night at Kothiyalady in Chunnakam, according to complaints registered by three of the youths' family members with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Monday.

SLA arrested five youths from Uduvil area in the search conducted Sunday morning and two youths from Chunnakam town and Chunnakam north in the search conducted Monday morning, the family members of the youths said.

One of the youths arrested in Uduvil Sunday morning was Velautham Amalathas, aged 28, and a resident of Internally Displaced Persons area. His mother complained to the HRC that the SLA informed that they have not taken her son into custody.

The SLA, in response to queries made by the HRC, said that they had taken in only four youths in the search conducted in Uduvil Sunday morning, HRC sources said.

Amalathas was arrested while going to church Sunday morning and the HRC officials are taking statements from eye witnesses who are said to have seen SLA taking him.

SLA had not informed of the arrests of the above youths either to the Districts Court or police or the HRC office or the family members.