President Chandrika Kumara-tunga said in a special message issued in connection with yesterday's bomb explosion in Jaffna, "all those who value peace are shocked over the killing of the Mayor of Jaffna, some of the high ranking officers of both the Army and Police and civilians.

With the recapture of Jaffna, civilians began to resettle in the area due to the faith they have in the government. Gradually civil administration was restored. After holding Local Government elections, the people were given the opportunity of electing their own representatives. Mrs. Sarojini Yogeshwaran who was thus elected to the office of Mayor of Jaffna was assassinated by an LTTE gunman. And yesterday's killing of her successor was a calculated attempt to harm the aspirations of all peace-loving members of the Tamil community.

At a time when the people of Jaffna who underwent a torrid time under the LTTE rule, was getting ready to involve themselves in ventures that enforce their development and progress and lead peaceful lives, the LTTE terrorists have begun to resort to cowardly acts like exploding bombs. What do they achieve by such acts other than antagonising their own community against them, she queries. Those whom they killed today were holding talks on matters that ensure development, peace and prosperity to the North, at the time the bomb went off. By these heinous acts the LTTE stands exposed to the entire world. She also expresses her condolence to members of the bereaved families.

A demonstration condemning the arrest of the High Court Judge of Colombo was staged by male and female attorneys at Hultsdorp last afternoon a few hours before the High Court Judge was produced in the Chief Magistrate's Court, Colombo. Some of the profession's big names like Daya Perera, P.C. and others prominently figured in the demonstrations.

They shouted slogans and carried posters deploying the conduct of the CID. 'Hands off the Judiciary', 'Is the CID running the country,' 'AG, you resign,' 'Justice Minister get up from your slumber', 'Pay the Judiciary its due respect' were among a host of slogans the irate members of the legal fraternity were heard shouting in a near hour long demonstration.

Some of them told 'The Island' they would watch the developments and go all out to safeguard the independence of the judiciary which was extremely vital to maintain law and order in a democracy.

Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe, yesterday dismissed allegations levelled at him by a senior Cabinet Minister, on the previous day that, the former had paid a visit to United States and had discussions with the LTTE lobby in that country with a view to mobilising funds for the UNP's activities at home.

Minister of Agriculture and Land, D. M. Jayaratne, speaking at Thursday's debate in Parliament on the extension of the State of Emergency said the UNP leader, who had advocated unconditional talks with the LTTE, had during a recent visit to the United States, had had talks with the supporters of the LTTE in the States, with a view to mobilising funds.

The Minister said, the government has received this information through reports from certain sources.

The Leader of Opposition was absent from the House when the allegations were made and the Deputy Chairman of Committees Rauf Hakeem ordered the expunging of statements touching on the conduct of Mr. Wickremasinghe, from the Hanzard.

When House met yesterday morning Mr. Wickremasinghe rose to a point of order and made a special statement referring to the incident.

He said he had not visited United State since 1993 and that the reports were all wrong.

He said, he is leaving for United States next week, and that the people whom he planned to meet were officials and members of organisations in the States affiliated to the United National Party.

His visit is a both private and official one, he said.

He elaborated saying he was first visiting Los Angeles, where he and his wife Maithri would take part in a dinner and a dance in the West Coast, organised by the UNP affiliated organisation there.

He further said that President Chandrika Kumaratunga too was scheduled to be in Los Angeles during his stay in Los Angeles possibly she too could take part in the West Coast function.

After Los Angeles he will be visiting Washington, New York and California to meet the party officials there, he added.

The members of these organisations include Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims among others, he added.

He had no plans to meet any others but, there was nothing to prevent talking to any others if he happens to meet any he said.

The President too might meet various people, he said.

He said that he had reliably learnt that the President had sent a letter, through a highly placed person to Prabhakaran stating government's desire to have conditional talks with the LTTE leader. This person had not met Prabhakaran but the letter had been handed over to a representative of the LTTE.

There is nothing wrong in that. We have no problems about that. "Our stand is that there should be no pre-condition if the government wish to talk to the LTTE. Talks should go on while the war is being waged, he added.

Referring to government charge that the UNP was violating the terms of the agreement, between him and the President, arranged by Liam Fox, Mr. Wickremasinghe said his party has not violated but it is the government that has gone back on it.

Colombo High Court Judge Mahanama Tillakaratne was arrested last night by the CID and produced before the Chief Magistrate, Colombo in connection with the same case he had surrendered yesterday morning before Kesbewa Magistrate and obtained bail.

Hemantha Warnakulasuriya who appeared for Judge Tillakaratne said there was no reason why the CID should arrest him when he had surrendered to court the same morning. The arrest therefore was highly illegal, counsel said." What's more, over 50 armed CID officials had called at the Judge's residence when he was in the company of some lawyers on Thursday night, to arrest him. Mr. Tillakaratne told on the occasion the Director CID Bandula Wickramasinghe who headed the CID team that he had appeared before the Kesbewa Magistrate the same morning and obtained bail. Judge Tillakaratne had even shown Bandula Wickrame-singhe the release order. The arrest of the judge therefore was a highly illegal act perpetrated by the CID.

The CID said they were unaware of the Judge's surrender to Kesbewa court that morning.

Mr. Warnakula-suriya said that was a diabolical lie and that the Judge had shown the Director CID Bandula Wickramasinghe the release order.

Counsel submitted to court that it was this same High Court Judge Mahanama Tillakaratne who acquitted Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, M.P. in the case he was indicted with supplying outdated dental chemical coal mould seals misleading Sri Lanka Air Force. In discharging Dr. Senaratna, Judge Tillakaratne observed that the evidence was fabricated and passed severe strictures on the CID, Mr. Warnakulasuriya said.

This was an unparalleled case in the legal annals of the country where a heinous attempt had been made to cause an uncalled for embarrassment and humiliation to a respected member of the judiciary and the judiciary itself, Mr. Warnakulasuriya said.

A section of the demonstrators. - (Pic by Nimal Dayaratne)

The Chief Magistrate said he would direct the High Court Judge to appear in Kesbewa Magistrate's Court on September 17.

Almost the entire unofficial bar at Hulftsdorp appeared with Hemantha Warnakulasuriya for Judge Tillakaratne.

Colombo High Court Judge Tissa Ekanayake yesterday put off the criminal defamation suit against Sunday Island for December 11.

The case was called in a different Court as the Trial Judge is abroad.

Court directed witnesses Mr. Mohan Samarasekera and Mrs. Samarasekera to be present on the next date to testify, while the other witnesses were told to appear when noticed.

In this case the present Editor of 'The Island' and former Editor of the Sunday Island Gamini Weerakoon is indicted with publishing an article in the 'Sunday Island' dated April 16, 1996, under the caption 'Navy chief has narrow escape' defamatory of the then Navy commander Daluwattage Antony Mohan Reginald Samarasekera.

Upul Jayasuriya with S. Choksy (Junior) instructed by Samararatne Associates appeared for the Editor.

Kandeepan Balasubramanium a member of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service has been interdicted for being in possession of two passports not belonging to him, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ravinath Ariyasinghe told yesterday's cabinet press briefing.

He said that a disciplinary inquiry will be held after the full facts of the case have been established.

Ariyasinghe said that the interdiction of Balasubramanium was done in accordance with administrative regulations that require any public official charged in a court of law to be placed under interdiction.

Balasubramanium was arrested with passports belonging to two Sri Lankan Tamils at the Katunayaka Airport on September 4, while he was on his way to the Netherlands to assume duties as Second Secretary at the Sri Lanka Embassy in the Hague.

On the same day Balasubramanium was produced before the Negombo Magistrate who placed him in remand custody.

Asked if he thought Balasubramanium was an LTTE spy, Ariyasinghe said it is too premature to come to conclusions as the investigations were still continuing.

'He worked in the Consular division dealing with passports for some time and thereafter moved on to the Economic division.He worked in rotation'.

Ariyasinghe said Balasubramanium was recruited to the Sri Lanka Foreign Service in 1996 and was placed 13 th in his batch of 14, having passed the Open Competitive Examination held in 1995 sat by 1480 candidates.

'At the time of recruitment Balasubramanium like all recruits to the Foreign Service was subjected to routine security vetting and cleared', he added.

Ratnapura Police arrested two workers on the Alupola Estate belonging to Hapugastenna Plantations Ltd in connection with the killing of W. Chandrasena (38) and P. A. Kumara (25) at Aswadduma yesterday which led to what the Police described as an 'explosive situation' in Alupola area Wednesday.

With huge crowds storming into the Alupola Estate following the killing of the two men, attacking the estate workers and setting fire to their line rooms. The situation went out of Police control necessitating deployment of army to restore law and order. Estate workers had to take refuge in the factory and other places. Violence later spilled over to the boarding areas.

As the news of the killing of the two persons spread, mobs stormed Rasagalla Estate in Balangoda and set fire to several line rooms and a motor cycle.

The two persons who were allegedly killed by the plantation workers are identified as W. Chandrasena (38) and P. P. Kumar (25). They had been hacked to death, according to Police.

Meanwhile 400 Police personals and 100 Army personnel are patrolling the area.

The extent of the damage and the destruction caused, has still not been assessed.

The situation in the area is under control but there is tension still Police said yesterday.

A raw of unauthorised shop buildings at Mawanella town situated between the super market at the main bus halt caught fire on Thursday night (10) around 12.30 a.m.

The structures which were done with wooden planks were reduced to ashes along with furniture and goods that were for sale.

The extent of damage is believed to be between rupees five lakhs. Mawanella police is investigating the incident. Inspector M. G. Podinilame OIC Mawanella said he could not rule out sabotage.

Twenty four 'Tigers' were killed and a large number of LTTE bunkers destroyed during limited operations conducted by 'Operation Jayasikuru' troops south east of Mankulam over the last two weeks military spokesman Brigadier Sunil Tennekoon said.

He told the weekly cabinet press briefing that six security forces personnel were killed during the operations while 31 were injured, 26 of whom have now returned to the battle front.

Tennekoon said that troops had also recovered 463 anti personnel mines, 227 of them had been found on Wednesday.

'To the west and east of Kilinochchi troops have proceeded about 4 km from the FDL's. During this advance 25 Tigers were killed. The security forces lost two men while 16 received injuries'.

The Brigadier said that limited operations in Jaffna resulted in four Tigers being killed. The security forces lost two men. In the east the 'Tigers' lost five men while eight security forces personnel were injured.

Brigadier Tennekoon said that the security forces now control about 75 kilometres of land in Vakarai. Eleven thousand people inhabit the area.

'On the 4th of this month 'Lanka Muditha' transported over a thousand persons from Kankesanturai to Jaffna. A similar number of persons boarded the ship on its return journey, he added.