President lauds STF role in terror fight

Terrorists of all countries start their operations against the democratic state by killing police personnel.

The LTTE terrorists who have been completely defeated by Armed Forces started their campaign of terror by killing four members of the Police Force at Velvettithurai Road in Point Pedro in 1984.

Yet the Special Task of the Police Force had proved that they were capable of instilling fear into the minds of the terrorists in their operations in the Ampara District where they completely defeated the LTTE, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.

The President was addressing the passing out parade of the Police Special Task Force at Katukurunda.

President Rajapaksa told the passing out STF recruits that they should be proud to belong to a disciplined and elite force that had proved itself in the battle against terrorism.

“During the past three years all facilities were provided to the STF to perform their duties as the authorities were aware of the important role they played in the war against terror,” the President said.

The terrorists went after the team of police personnel investigating the murder of Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiappah and killed Inspector Bastiam Pillai and his team. They also killed all Tamil policemen in police stations in the North.

“A total of 461 police personnel including DIGs have been killed by the terrorists and I would like to remember them with gratitude and honour them for their dedication to duty,” the President said.

“When the three Armed Forces were fighting against the terrorists it was the STF who came to the rescue of remote villages in the East that were under constant threat of bands of terrorists who infiltrated such areas to attack unarmed villagers.

The STF continued to support the Armed Forces even in the North like at Vellaveli, Vavunathivu and Kokkadicholai. You who are now members of this elite force should be the proud inheritors of the traditions of the STF and I am very happy to be with you on this important day,” President Rajapaksa said.