rapa
12-12-2006, 10:12 AM
COLOMBO: No officers currently serving in the Military Intelligence Wing have been arrested on suspicion of having links with the LTTE, the Army stated yesterday.
The Army said that news reports to this effect were completely false.
In a news release, the Army said most of those reports were found grossly inaccurate, if not false and misleading.
The release: "Some of those reports unfortunately even went to the extent of naming Regiments, Brigades, Units and other details of those Army personnel, taken in for questioning on suspicion, damaging the image of the organisation.
Worst of all, some reports said those arrested on suspicious LTTE links are from the Army Directorate of Military Intelligence and one of them, being a second in command in the military Intelligence wing. They also referred to the Armoured Corps in some instances. This is completely false.
One of these suspect officers in custody has briefly served in the military intelligence wing in Matara and Anuradhapura, but that was also way back in 1989-1991 during his service. He has since had no direct connection with the Military Intelligence wing.
The arrested officers belonged to none of those Regiments mentioned in those published reports. The Army at this juncture is neither able to divulge those particulars due to on-going investigations.
It was on information given by the Army itself, the Terrorist Investigation Division of the Police and the Criminal Investigation Department arrested those two Majors.
The Police in accordance with regulations are detaining both of them for further investigations and subsequent follow-up actions. One more Major taken in for questioning on the same issue was later released.
In addition, a few other soldiers taken in on the same counts, were investigated and many of them have already been released.
Both officers of the rank of Major, now in custody were serving in Colombo at the time they were arrested and taken in for interrogations.
Police, on instructions of the Criminal Investigations Department, are at present proceeding with investigations before indictment. Similarly, the Military Police are conducting parallel investigations into the arrests in conformity with military disciplinary procedures.
The Army strongly affirms that it will not tolerate any acts of treachery and treason under any circumstances and will continue to screen such errant Army personnel, if any and readily act according to the law of the country.
Publication of various interpretations on these arrests of Army officers, many of them based on hearsay or half-truths, even involving the military intelligence, needless to mention, casts serious aspersions on the image of the entire organization.
Furthermore, many dedicated officers in the field, facing the enemy are demoralised as a result of those misleading and wrong reports."
The Army said that news reports to this effect were completely false.
In a news release, the Army said most of those reports were found grossly inaccurate, if not false and misleading.
The release: "Some of those reports unfortunately even went to the extent of naming Regiments, Brigades, Units and other details of those Army personnel, taken in for questioning on suspicion, damaging the image of the organisation.
Worst of all, some reports said those arrested on suspicious LTTE links are from the Army Directorate of Military Intelligence and one of them, being a second in command in the military Intelligence wing. They also referred to the Armoured Corps in some instances. This is completely false.
One of these suspect officers in custody has briefly served in the military intelligence wing in Matara and Anuradhapura, but that was also way back in 1989-1991 during his service. He has since had no direct connection with the Military Intelligence wing.
The arrested officers belonged to none of those Regiments mentioned in those published reports. The Army at this juncture is neither able to divulge those particulars due to on-going investigations.
It was on information given by the Army itself, the Terrorist Investigation Division of the Police and the Criminal Investigation Department arrested those two Majors.
The Police in accordance with regulations are detaining both of them for further investigations and subsequent follow-up actions. One more Major taken in for questioning on the same issue was later released.
In addition, a few other soldiers taken in on the same counts, were investigated and many of them have already been released.
Both officers of the rank of Major, now in custody were serving in Colombo at the time they were arrested and taken in for interrogations.
Police, on instructions of the Criminal Investigations Department, are at present proceeding with investigations before indictment. Similarly, the Military Police are conducting parallel investigations into the arrests in conformity with military disciplinary procedures.
The Army strongly affirms that it will not tolerate any acts of treachery and treason under any circumstances and will continue to screen such errant Army personnel, if any and readily act according to the law of the country.
Publication of various interpretations on these arrests of Army officers, many of them based on hearsay or half-truths, even involving the military intelligence, needless to mention, casts serious aspersions on the image of the entire organization.
Furthermore, many dedicated officers in the field, facing the enemy are demoralised as a result of those misleading and wrong reports."