Suspect dies in custody, foul play alleged

An army Corporal, who was under custody in relation to an aborted assassination attempt on General Fonseka, has died under mysterious circumstances.

Corporal Hanifa worked in the kitchen at the Army Headquarters in Colombo.

He is suspected of having facilitated the female suicide terrorist who tried to assassinate the General in April 2006.

Last Sunday (16th) Hanifa was found hanging in his cell toilet at the Terrorism Investigation Unit.

“People's Fonseka2010” campaign team is concerned that such a high value suspect was not held under stricter security.

Meanwhile, when asked about the incident, Police Spokesman, SSP Ranjith Gunasekera, said that he had no detailed report on the incident. The spokesman further disclosed that the suspect had hung himself in the toilet, using his own shirt.

At the time it was suspected that senior figures in the defence establishment in Colombo may have aided the terrorists for money or to remove General Fonseka who was totally opposed to corruption and other problems that had plagued the security apparatus.

Army must stick to Gen. Fonseka's plans

We at Fonseka2010 campaign are shocked to read plans by newly appointed army commander Jagath Jayasuriya to scale back expansion of the army and to release IDPs at an earlier date than planned.

Only last Monday, General Fonseka had promised Sri Lankans in the North that temporary army camps will be made permanent and that IDPs will not be released until all terrorists hiding amongst them are successfully filtered.

Earlier, General Fonseka had promised to expand the army by an additional 100, 000 men and women.

Jayasuriya, meanwhile, has said he has plans for extension by only 20, 000 personal. He has also divulged plans to allow IDPs to return home in about a year, much earlier than the planned three years that it would take to successfully weed out terrorists.

“People's Fonseka2010” campaign has a manifesto obligation to, “Security: Increase Army's strength to 300, 000 and overall military strength to 500, 000 men and women; consolidate the armed forces into a Sri Lanka Defence Force structure, thereby blurring the lines between the various forces.”

General Fonseka led our valiant troops in the mission to successfully eradicate terrorism from our motherland. Today he is hailed as the greatest General in the world.

We believe that all military decisions and decisions regarding nationals security must be taken by General Fonseka and not junior level commanders like Jayasuriya.