Judge orders remand extension for two LTTE cadres

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 May 2003, 13:08 GMT]
The Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.S.Thiagendran Friday ordered further remand till June 5 for the two members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) arrested on a charge of possessing explosives under the Offensive Weapons Act, legal sources said. The Sri Lanka Navy apprehended the two along with a third LTTE cadre on May 8 in the Trincomalee Sea.

Two LTTE members Nagaratnam Prasath alias Vanmuhilan and Martin Romiel alias Ramanan were produced from remand. The third person and the boat they were travelling on the day of incident were released on the determination of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM)after inquiry, sources said

On the first date of inquiry the police moved an application seeking permission of the court to deactivate the 40 kg bomb said to have been recovered from the suspects by the SLN when it intercepted their boat. The police in their application further sought permission for the bomb disposal squad of the SLN to deactivate the said bomb, legal sources said.

The Attorney-at-Law Mr.K.Sivapalan who appeared for the suspects did not object to the police application and the magistrate allowed the application, The Judge further instructed the remains of the bomb after being deactivated to be sent to the Government Analyst for examination and a report submitted to the court.

When the suspects were produced in court Friday, the police wanted additional time, as the SLN bomb disposal squad has not yet deactivated the said bomb and moved for further remand of the suspects.

The Magistrate allowed the application, legal sources said.