Govt. keeping war heroes in custody without charges for TNA pact

President of the National Movement for the Protection of War Heroes, Ven Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera yesterday said the government should be ashamed of keeping in prison the officers who had been instrumental in saving the country from the clutches of terrorism.

“They have been held on remand without charges for over 300 days.” he said.

The Thera, addressing the media at the Sambuddhaloka Viharaya in Fort said: “The LTTE women’s wing leader Thamalini has said that the Army was able to defeat the Tigers mainly due to the efforts of the intelligence wings of the security forces and those men were dreaded by the members of most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world.

“Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government in order to fulfil its obligations to the LTTE backers and the international community for bringing it to power, were harassing the state intelligence officers.”

Ven Nalaka said that if those in custody had committed any wrong or found guilty of the abduction and killing of any civilian then the government could justify its action, but here they were being detained without any charges and the government had failed to prosecute them.

Ven. Nalaka Thera said there were some police officers and lawyers who were subservient to the powers that be. “They are behind the prolonged detention of the brave intelligence officers.”

The members of the organisation would visit the families of 12 intelligence officers from the army and navy in remand custody, the Thera said.

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