News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2000, 18:33 GMT]
Search operation in Mannar, SLFP's independence day 'Pooja' in Jaffna, Claymore recovered in Batticaloa.

Search operation in Mannar

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and police conducted a massive cordon and search operation in the north-western town of Mannar this morning. About 5,000 civilians were detained in the Old Police station and interrogated, sources said.

All activities in the town were disrupted during the combined search operation, the sources said.

Several people were detained at the police station. Mannar police said they were released later after being interrogated.

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SLFP's independence day 'Pooja' in Jaffna

Sri Lanka Freedom Party's (SLFP) Jaffna branch has organised a special 'pooja' at the Nallur Kandaswamy temple to mark the island's 52nd independence day tomorrow, party sources said.

A meeting will also be held at the SLFP office in Jaffna, and the Sri Lankan flag will be hoisted at all government offices tomorrow party sources said.

SLFP is the main constituent of the ruling People's Alliance.

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Claymore recovered in Batticaloa

A claymore mine was recovered by a police road clearing patrol at Sunkankerny, about 30 km. north of Batticaloa this morning, security sources said.

Separately, the Special Task Force (STF) camped at Karaithivu in the Ampara district arrested a youth with about 280 grams explosives around 12.20 p.m. this afternoon, the sources said.

The youth, Somanathan Lingarasa, of Periyaporativu is being detained at Karaithivu STF camp. A special team of investigators is interrogating the youth, sources said.

The Police also said they recovered a live bomb under a bridge at Muttur town this morning.