2ND LEAD

Youths corroborate SLA complicity in abductions

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 July 2007, 00:02 GMT]
Youths recently released after being abducted corroborated the alleged involvement of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in the recent wave of abductions of youth in the Jaffna peninsula using Buffel Armoured Personnel Carriers. The abductions are carried out at night by armed men operating in white vans. The abductees are then taken to SLA military bases in the area, and later transported in Buffel APCs to the High Security Zone (HSZ) garrison in Palaali, blind folded and with hands and legs tied, according to the youths who were released after torture.

The vehicles avoid main roads including Palaali road and use alternative routes instead, the youths said.

Youths who were released after torture, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were warned by the abductors that if information on the arrest or torture were leaked they would be killed.

The released youths further said that many abductees are being detained in the SLA camp as they have seen several Tamil youths escorted inside the camp.