Kadirgamar assassination:

Notice reissued on Prabhakaran

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Colombo High Court Judge Kumuduni Wickramasinghe Yesterday reissued notice on four suspects including LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in connection with the assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

The Prosecution submitted before Court that the notice had been sent to Mullaitivu District Secretary to hand over the suspects absconding from Court but he had not reported so far the measures taken in this regard. The prosecution informed court the next steps it would take in this connection on the next calling date.

The Court also refused to grant bail to the two suspects who were in remand custody in connection with this murder based on the grounds that they were taken into custody under Emergency Laws.

Former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was assassinated in a sniper attack at his residence at Longden Place, Colombo on August 12, 2005.

The Attorney General filed the case against Velupillai Prabhakaran, Shiva Shankar alias Pottuamman, Charles alias Charlis Master, Komadee Manimekala alias Madee, Muttaiyah Sahadevan and Isithor Arokyanathan alias Babu for conspiring with another LTTE member Vinothan to assassinate Minister Kadirgamar and committing the murder as a result of the conspiracy made at Killinochchi and at Colombo between January 01, 2005 and August 12, 2005.

Muttaiyah Sahadevan and Isithor Arokyanathan alias Babu are in remand custody. Attorneys-at-Law Vinayagamoorthi and Thavarasa appearing for them pleaded before the Court to grant them bail. Deputy Solicitor General Kapila Vidyaratne and State Counsel Shani Kularatne appeared for the Attorney General.