Defence Ministry, experts review unaltered video probe launched :

Fresh probe launched

Disna Mudalige

*Ample evidence to prove malicious intentions behind doctored documentary

*Conversations in Tamil in unaltered video

*Pro-LTTE elements attempting to disgrace country

The Defence Ministry and a panel of experts have launched a fresh analysis to review the unaltered video used to create the fake Channel 4 documentary during the last stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka, Army Media spokesman Major General Ubaya Madewela told the Daily News yesterday.

He said that the unaltered video received by the Defence Ministry provides ample evidence to prove the malicious intentions behind the doctored documentary. He observed that in the unaltered video, conversations of the individuals are in Tamil, even though those were replaced with Sinhala conversations in the Channel 4 documentary. This ascertains that those are LTTE members, who are disguised in an attire similar to the Army uniform. He observed that the Channel 4 documentary is a vain attempt by pro-LTTE elements who are still active, to disgrace the country in desperation after the defeat of the LTTE.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation website yesterday quoting Sri Lanka’s Deputy Permanent Representative and UN Ambassador Major General Shavendra Silva stated that Sinhala dialogues of the Channel 4 video do not match the ground situation of the incident.

Commenting on the individuals in army uniform, Major General Silva recalled how LTTE cadres dressed in Sri Lankan Army uniform launched number of attacks, including the assassination of innocent devotees at the premises of Sri Maha Bodhi and the Bandaranaike Airport attack. He observed that the Channel 4 documentary had been doctored by LTTE sympathizers to mislead the international community. Meanwhile, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa on Friday stressed that the Channel 4 video is an attempt to disgrace the Security Forces who liberated the country from terrorists.

He observed that the Channel 4 fiasco will face a natural death with the disclosure of the original audio and visual clip which is now with the Sri Lankan authorities.