LTTE suspect arrested

Sarath Malalasekera

Vavuniya Police arrested a LTTE suspect, Selvanayagam Vernon alias Arvinda, who is alleged to have been involved in the bomb attack on the Nippon Hotel, Slave Island on January 2, 2008. He was later produced before Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge Lanka Jayaratne.

On an application by the Police the Judge directed the Police to hand over the suspect Arvinda to the Terrorists Investigations Department (TID) for further investigations.

At the time of the arrest of the suspect, he had in his possession a seven kilo claymore bomb.

The suspect was taken into custody at a Vavuniya check point. Five including two students died in the attack. Twenty four people were injured in the attack.

P. Kathigesan Shiraf, the first suspect in the Nippon Hotel bomb attack was further remanded till May 17. The TID is conducting further investigations.