Tiran’s statement to TID-Ranil calls for arrest of Basil, PB and Lalith

தொடரும் செய்திகள்:(1)
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Valuable documents and CDs were stolen from the house of Tiran Alles

13 , 2007 - Published 14:40 GMT
Documents taken from Alles' house

Documents CDs were stolen from the house of Tiran Alles, a former minister said.
Sacked minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi said the missing documents had evidence to prove that President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave money to LTTE before the presidential elections.
Alles, who was arrested by the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID), was released on bail by Colombo magistrate earlier on Wednesday.
More details to follow.


Tiran released on bail
(LeN-2007 June 13, 7.00pm)

Tiran Alles who was being detained by the Terrorism Investigation Division was released on bail by the Colombo chief Magistrate Sarojani Kusala Weerawardena today.
He was released on a Rs. 500,000 bail and three surety bails each worth 1 million rupees. She also ordered Alles to freely present whatever documents and information which the TID request from him and also warned him not to attempt to influence of threaten any of the witnesses.
Alles was arrested while receiving treatment at the Nawaloka Hospital on charges of financially supporting the LTTE. Tiran Alles is the owner of the Mawbima newspaper which has stopped publishing their paper.
The statement given to the TID by Tiran Alles states that he held discussions with an LTTE leader called Emil Kanthan before the presidential election and that the meetings were attended by Basil Rajapakse, Lalith Weeratunga, and P.B. Jayasundara. He has said that he gave money to the LTTE before and after the presidential election after those discussions.
The case will next be taken up on the 19th of this month.
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Tiger Deal

By Kumuthu Amarasingham -SL
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday called for the arrest of Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapakse, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera in connection with the secret deal with the LTTE following revelations made by former Airport and Aviation Chief Tiran Alles.
Alles last week told the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) in a statement that he was asked by then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse to establish a link with the LTTE to coordinate the presidential election campaign in the north and east. Alles had said in his statement, he told Rajapakse that though he had no links to the Tigers he would facilitate a meeting through a business contact Emil Kanthan.
Alles had further said it was Basil Rajapakse who had thereafter dealt with the LTTE through Emil Kanthan.
Alles was arrested by the TID for allegedly funding Emil Kanthan who was identified as a key LTTE intelligence leader.
Wickremesinghe told the UNP Parliamentary Group on Monday that according to the statement made by Alles to the TID, Basil Rajapakse, Lalith Weeratunga and P.B. Jayasundera had all been present at the talks and involved in the dealings with the LTTE.
Wickremesinghe also said that in addition to the official statement, Alles had affirmed to him personally at the hospital on Sunday that the talks and dealings did take place and he had divulged the details in the statement to the TID.
The Opposition Leader pointed out that by bribing the LTTE into preventing the people in the north and east from exercising their vote, a huge injustice had been done to him and the UNP. However, he said it was a great injustice to arrest only Alles who had facilitated the meeting.
"What action will be taken against Basil Rajapakse, Lalith Weeratunga and P. B. Jayasundera, who not only participated in the dealings but made the decision to pay the LTTE? They must be arrested" Wickremesinghe charged.
He added that since the discussions with the LTTE and dealings had taken place under the purview of the Presidential Election Committee, President Mahinda Rajapakse would have been well aware of them. Wickremesinghe also reminded the people that, following his victory at the last Presidential Election, Rajapakse had embraced Alles saying, "It is because of you that I won".
He further said that if paying money to the LTTE was a crime, everyone involved should be arrested, adding, that otherwise, false evidence charges should be filed for framing Alles.
Wickremesinghe further said that if the charges were true and Alles was arrested based on them, the Sri Lankan government had a responsibility to inform the US government of US citizen Basil Rajapakse’s illegal dealings with the LTTE, which is listed as a terrorist organisation in the USA.
Basil Rajapakse who is currently in the US is expected to return to Sri Lanka tomorrow.
He pointed out that America had not only banned the LTTE, but was currently actively involved in punishing those who aided and abetted them in any way.