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by Ranga Jayasuriya

The LTTE yesterday released one of the seven soldiers in their custody on humanitarian grounds. Soldier Deepal Samantha whose son needs blood transfusions after a kidney transplant was handed over to the SLMM yesterday evening.

"The LTTE handed over the soldier to a joint group of SLMM and ICRC representatives at 3.30 pm yesterday," SLMM Spokesman Teitur Torkelsson told the Daily News.

The soldier was handed over to the Army by the SLMM.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had earlier directed the Peace Secretariat to initiate all measures possible to secure the release of soldiers.

SLMM Chief Gen Trond Furuhovde sought the release of the soldier on humanitarian grounds and immediate access for the SLMM and the ICRC to the seven soldiers in custody, when he met the LTTE hierarchy in Trincomalee.

Torkelsson also said the LTTE has agreed to allow access for the SLMM and the ICRC to the other soldiers in custody from today.

ICRC Spokesman Sukumar Rockwood told the Daily News that "if required and agreed by both parties, the ICRC is ready to visit the six remaining detainees".

He also said the ICRC has already been visiting the two detainees in Government custody.

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

The LTTE demands the release of two cadres arrested by the police for the seven soldiers.

Presidential Spokesman Harim Peiris said yesterday that the President would meet the Army Commander, the National Security Council and write to the Defence Secretary for a report on the arrest of the soldiers by the LTTE.

Meanwhile, the LTTE is expected to transport 170 cadres from Mullaitivu to Vakarai today in line with the Government -LTTE deal on sea movement.

"The LTTE has informed that it would transport 170 unarmed cadres in plainclothes going home on leave from Mullaitivu to Vakarai in four vessels on Thursday," Torkelsson said.

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