Four suspects indicted for possession of arms and explosives

By Manopriya Gunasekara

The Colombo High Courts yesterday indicted four suspects with charge sheets for the possession of explosives, devices and firearms. 

A total of eight suspects were arrested in Jaffna between 1 April 2015 and 30 March 2016 for the possession of a suicide vest kit, a magnet bomb, 100 live 9mm ammunition, TNT, and TNT charges, along with four other explosive devices. 

Subsequently, the Attorney General’s Department filed charges for possession of the explosive and aiding and abetting its procurement. 

The suspects are being charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. 

The eight suspects were Edward Julian alias Ramesh, Sathyaseelan Jayanthan alias Arun, Raasadorai Jainthan alias Kutti, Seetha Gopal Arumugam alias Periyavan, S Rasanayagam alias Raasan, N Gajakokilayan alias Victor, S Gajanaraj alias Anbu, and S Sivadaran alias Dharshan. 

Accordingly, four of the eight suspects were brought before the Colombo High Courts where Judge Gihan Kulathunga issued a charge sheet against the four individuals. 

Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya informed the courts that a Police Special Task Force unit had found the haul of weapons and arrested the suspects while on raid to apprehend drug traffickers in the area. 

The case is to be taken up next on 19 October and the suspects were further remanded till then.