Killing of 12 civilians in Kayts: No evidence of Security Forces involvement - IGP
 

by Ranga Jayasuriya

No evidence of the involvement of security forces with regard to the killings of 12 civilians in Kayts has surfaced in the CID probe into the murders, IGP Chandra Fernando disclosed yesterday.

The Police Chief, however said, there was evidence that two days before the killings, LTTE agents torched 10 to 12 shops in the area which were open despite LTTE organised hartal.

He said three separate investigations were now conducted by the CID, the Attorney General's Department and a Magisterial inquiry into the killings which shook the Kayts islands last week.

"No evidence has been received to the effect that the security forces personnel were involved in the killings," said the Police Chief when asked about the CID investigation.

"Of course, there were speculations (on the security forces involvement), but no evidence has been found to support the claim," he asserted.

A special CID team led by a Senior Superintendent of Police is conducting investigations into killings which took place in Allaipiddy and Puliyankodal in the Kayts islands.

He, however said the investigators have found evidence that the LTTE agents had burnt 10-12 shops in Allaipiddy and Velanai two days before the killing of 12 civilians, including the gruesome murder of 8 civilians inside their home in Allaipiddy. He said the CID team has found leaflets distributed by the LTTE agents calling a shut down of shops in the area from May 11-13.

"Later that night (11), 10 to 12 shops which did not adhere to the call for hartal were burnt down allegedly by the LTTE," he said referring to the findings of the CID investigation. He said the Navy doused the fire.

The IGP, however, did not directly hold the LTTE responsible for the killings.

"We still don't have evidence to prove that either," he said.

He however said the killings took place in an area not frequented by the Security Forces.

Meanwhile, National Security spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said President Mahinda Rajapaksa had ordered a full scale investigation and a report will be presented to the President about the killings.

He said there were many actors in the area other than the security forces, specially a group of youth, who are on the LTTE payroll to conduct attacks against the security forces and other Tamil political parties.

He said however according to the investigators, no evidence has been found to prove the involvement of security forces.

"We don't want to whitewash any one. The President is keen to bring those responsible to justice and an investigation is now under way," the Minister said.

On the night of May 13, eight civilians were shot dead, including killing of eight members in their house including a 4- month-old baby and a 4-year-old boy and their parents in Allaipiddy. In another incident, three civilians were killed in Puliyankodai and another tea shop owner was shot dead in Velanai.

The Tigers accused the Navy of the killings. The claim was denied by the Navy which earlier accused the Tigers of committing civilian killings to divert international attention from its abortive attack on the Navy passenger ferry last week.