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Journalism of Courage
COLOMBO, FEB 22: The police are interrogating the mastermind behind the January 25 truck-bombing of Sri Lanka8217;s holiest Buddhist shrine in Kandy, identified as a Tamil trader, Muthusamipillai Dharamlingam, according to official sources today.
The sources said 45-year-old Dharmalingam, described as an 8220;important member8221; of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam LTTE, was arrested on Friday in the eastern Trincomalee district before he could escape to the rebel-controlled Mullaitivu district.
The sources said Dharmalingam, who also drives a truck, is a familiar figure in Kandy, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Vavuniya.
Police investigators had identified him as the main suspect after they found that theregistration number of the truck used in the bombing tallied with that of the Dharmalingam8217;s vehicle, which had entered at a road check-point in Trincomalee. While Dharmalingam was arrested, the second suspect , identified as Ravindran, had escaped to Mullaitivu before the police could nab him, the sources added.
In all 17 people, including three LTTE suicide-bombers, were killed and the temple extensively damaged in the blast. The sources said Dharmalingam had personally picked the three suicide bombers from Batticaloa for the attack.ad Acirc;not;Utacirc;euro;ordm;h?Acirc;frac14;Ttacirc;euro;ordm; efforts failed. American forces in the Gulf would remain 8220;long enough8221; to ensure Iraqi compliance with the UN resolutions, he said.Defence secretary William Cohen today told a television programme that sanctions against Iraq would be lifted if it complies fully with the UN security council resolutions.
The US still hopes for a diplomatic solution but will resort to military action in the absence of such a statement on date to be fixed by President Clinton,Cohen told the NBC8217;s Meet-the-Press programme.
He said America would not target Iraqi President Saddam Hussein personally during a military action but the world would welcome a change of regime in Baghdad, he said, adding Washington looks forward to working with a new Iraqi regime for a more productive and broad relationship.
In London, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook told BBC that sanctions imposed on Iraq could be lifted if Saddam Hussein signed a satisfactory deal with the UN. He said the pact would have to be in writing and must ensure total stoppage of Iraq8217;s arms development programme.
waAcirc;not;Utacirc;euro;ordm;;Acirc;not;Utacirc;euro;ordm;st to board our ship when we returned to Mumbai harbour Pajni to collect his premiums and Loan8217; Reddy in long khaki shorts to collect his bills for papers that never reached us and to recover the money he often loaned us.
Naval historians may disagree, but I think our greatest achievement in the 1971 war was the Western Fleet8217;s disappearance from Mumbai without Reddy and Pajni getting to know.Otherwise, why would Madan Pajni select December 4, 1971, to call on my family? Obviously, the fellow hadn8217;t looked at the morning dailies, which had splashed stories of our great raid on Karachi, and the high casualty rate.
When my wife opened the door and saw Pajni standing there, she fainted. Apologising profusely as she recovered, he explained to her: quot;I only came to collect Lieutenant Kochar8217;s overdue insurance premium, madam, not to settle the insurance claim.quot;
