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by Ranga Jayasuriya

The LTTE persists in its demand for the release of two LTTE cadres in exchange of the seven soldiers in its custody, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said.

The SLMM however said it would hold another round of discussions today with the LTTE for the release of soldiers.

The seven soldiers of the Monkey Bridge Camp of the Trincomalee 221 Brigade Headquarters were detained last week by the LTTE in Vilgamvehera, in an area claimed both by the LTTE and the Security Forces.

"The LTTE demands the release of two LTTE cadres arrested of possessing illegal weapons in exchange of the seven soldiers," SLMM Deputy Chief Haugruph Haukland told the Daily News.

The soldiers were detained with the lorry they were travelling in, when they were on their way to collect sand from a nearby river for construction work at the brigade headquarters.

The two cadres whose release the LTTE is demanding have been produced before court and charged with possessing illegal weapons.

The SLMM said last week that it would not interfere with judicial issues.

The LTTE earlier consented to release the soldiers without conditions, but later changed the position demanding the release of two of its cadres.

Meanwhile the relatives of four soldiers detained by the LTTE yesterday demonstrated opposite the Brigade Headquarters demanding for their release.

Haukland said the soldiers had ventured into an area which they thought was under security force's purview.

Among the seven soldiers, one was in uniform and armed with a T-56, while others were unarmed and in plainclothes when they were detained.

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