Foreign Ministry on Parameshwari and Basnayake arrests

COLOMBO: The Foreign Ministry clarifying the circumstances under which journalist M. Parameshwari was arrested said the arrest was based on her alleged involvement in abetting an LTTE female suicide cadre.

Issuing a media release the Foreign Ministry states:

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to clarify the circumstances under which Munisamy Parameshwari was arrested, as this incident has received considerable attention in Sri Lanka and abroad and there have been attempts to explain her arrest as a media freedom issue.

Based on intelligence received by the Special Task Force of the Sri Lanka Police, Munisami Parameshwari was arrested on November 23, 2006, in respect of her alleged involvement in abetting an LTTE female suicide cadre named Thambirasa Susanthi, by providing her with accommodation in Colombo. Her arrest and subsequent detention was in accordance with provisions of the Emergency Regulations.

The suspect was a journalist attached to a company publishing a newspaper. However, her arrest and detention was unrelated to her professional career, and was purely based on her alleged involvement in abetting terrorism.

Following the completion of the investigation, the Attorney General reviewed the available material for the purpose of instituting criminal proceedings. Though there existed a volume of incriminatory material against Parameshwari, the availability of material admissible against the suspect in a court of law, was insufficient and hence the Attorney General advised the police to discharge the suspect. Accordingly, the suspect was discharged by the Magistrate on March 22, 2007."

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry clarified the circumstances under which Dushyantha Basnayake was arrested, as this incident has received considerable attention in Sri Lanka and abroad.

The Ministry said there have been attempts to explain his arrest as a media freedom issue.

Based on information received by the Sri Lanka Police, that Dushyantha Basnayake along with a terrorist suspect named Anthony Lakshmi Emil had jointly engaged in an enterprise to fund terrorist activities in Sri Lanka, officers of the Terrorist Investigation Division of the Police arrested Dushyantha Basnayake on February 26, 2007.

Following the arrest of the suspect, he was detained in accordance with provisions of the Emergency Regulations promulgated under the Public Security Ordinance. The progress of the criminal investigation was periodically reported to the relevant Magistrate.

The suspect is the Finance Director of a company that publishes a newspaper. However, investigations emphasise that the arrest of Dushyantha Basnayake was unrelated to his involvement in the field of mass communication.

On April 24, 2007, based on the existence of a prima-facie case of terrorist funding, the suspect was remanded in the custody of the police by the Magistrate. On May 15, 2007 the suspect was enlarged on bail.

Investigations are continuing."