Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

Murder suspect Cameron James Mansell slipped a covert surveillance net by going into a place that officers could not enter legally, police said yesterday.

Mr Mansell was under surveillance after he was released without charge on May 7 after 15 hours of questioning regarding Mr Puddy's disappearance.

He flew to Adelaide on Thursday morning, just hours before police issued a warrant for his arrest over Mr Puddy's death.

Mr Dawson claimed police were unable to explain how Mr Mansell slipped the net because that explanation could eventually be presented to a jury as part of the case against him.

'We maintained 24-hour around-the-clock surveillance up until a particular point when the surveillance operatives were unable to enter a particular place,' Mr Dawson said.

'I'm not going to elaborate on what that place is. We were unable to locate Mr Mansell after that.

'Persons under surveillance can't be physically restrained, we can't go in certain places, we simply can't go in without a warrant.'

Mr Dawson said police were not able to maintain physical surveillance.

On Sunday, Police Minister Rob Johnson said he was satisfied with the explanation he received from police on how Mr Mansell slipped the net.

But on Saturday, Premier Colin Barnett said Mr Mansell should have been detained or monitored.



'It was not practical at the time. Clearly, if our officers were able to, they would have but we didn't have the resources in place because they didn't know until they saw him at the time.'

The taxi took Mr Mansell to his mother's house. He has not been seen since and police are concerned he might have left South Australia.

He has strong ties to South Australia and Victoria, where he was born.

Mr Puddy was last seen by a relative on May 3. Worried friends and family discovered a pool of blood in his Bateman Road home on May 4, sparking a police search for his body.

Mr Mansell's burnt-out Jeep Cherokee was found in bush at Banksia Grove on May 6.

The following day, Mr Mansell was arrested and questioned for 15 hours over Mr Puddy's disappearance.

Mr Mansell's lawyers have previously said their client denies any involvement in the disappearance.

The Passing Out Parade of 40th batch of the Commando troops including 20 officers and 655 soldiers took place on Saturday (22) at Uva-Kudaoya Commando Training School with the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya as the Chief Guest. Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya was the first to take part in the Uva-Kudaoya Commando Training School POP in his capacity as Army Chief, creating history in the Commando Training School. Lieutenant General Jayasuriya on arrival at the venue was received by Major General Shavendra Silva the Acting Colonel of the Regiment of Commandos and conducted to inspect the Guard Turnout followed a Guard of Honour accorded to him.

Later, the Army Commander awarded Maroon Berets to officers who passed out while Major General Shavendra Silva, Major General Chagi Gallage and some senior officers awarded Maroon Berets to soldiers. Parents and next of kin of passed out soldiers afterwards pined Commando badges on each and every soldier. The Army Commander awarded prizes for the Best Student of the Course 2/Lieutenant T.M.B Tennakoon, the Best Shooter 2/Lieutenant K.V.C Witharanage and Best Student in Physical Training 2/Lieutenant K Thiwanka at the award ceremony.

At the end of the ceremony a special show was conducted showing the strength, military skills and fighting capabilities of the Commandos. The main events of the show were parachute landing, Tae Kwondo and Raffling show. Officers and soldiers including the Commandant of Commando Training School Lieutenant Colonel Uditha Bandara, the Chief Instructor of the Training School Major P.J.U.S Pilapitiya and about 12,000 relatives and friends of passed out Commandos were present on the occasion.

At the conclusion of POP the Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya was awarded a memento by Major General Shavendra Silva, in memory of this historic visit to Uva-Kudaoya Commando Training School.

Sri Lanka Army is to dispatch a new UN contingent of sixty-one Army Engineers on earth-moving equipment assignments to Central African Republic and Chad, Tuesday (25) afternoon.

In response to a UN request, made to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), three Officers and fifty-eight Other Ranks from Sri Lanka Engineers, inclusive of one from Sri Lanka Electrical Mechanical Engineers (SLEME) are to leave for Central African Republic for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka Army.

A few days ago, another five member aero medical team, increasing the entire contingent to a total of sixty-six, proceeded to Central African Republic at a UN request.

The latest offer is considered a clear endorsement of the UN s recognition of the professionalism and commitment of the Sri Lanka Army, and Tuesday s dispatch occurs at a time when arrangements are being made to send the newest contingent of 749 Army personnel to Haiti shortly to relieve the serving contingent.

Lieutenant General Mike Hostage, Commander, United States Air Force Central Command, will share the long-term role of the United States Air Force in the region in creating an integrated air defence umbrella at The 2nd Air & Missile Defence Summit, which is taking place from 30 May to 2 June 2010, Armed Forces Officers Club, in Abu Dhabi.

He will be joined on the agenda by top defence industry experts from Raytheon Company, a proven global integrator of air and missile defense technologies and systems, delivering innovative and reliable solutions that protect lives and critical infrastructures against current and evolving threats. Raytheon presenters include John Urias - Vice President of Raytheon's Programs & UAE SL-AMRAAM Capture Lead, and Dan Kirby - Director of Raytheon's Systems of Systems. They will present on developing a comprehensive approach for integrated air and missile defence from a theater strategic vision to implementation.

In addition, industry experts from Lockheed Martin Company, The Boeing Company, ThalesRaytheonSystems and Rheinmetall Air Defence AG will present on the advanced technologies which are being implemented to achieve improved interconnectivity and interoperability between military and industry players for a blanket protection of the region's air space.



Air & Missile Defence Summit 2010 runs from 30 May to 2 June at the Armed Forces Officers Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The 1001 graduates of the United States Air Force Academy Class of 2010 have taken the oath and are now fully commissioned 2nd Lieutenants.

In his commencement address this morning(26/05), Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff encouraged the graduates to use their imaginations as they confront the challenges ahead. New technologies will need to be developed, Mullen said, to give secure military advantages in both space and cyberspace. He also called for the breaking down of 'old stove pipes' that separate the branches of the military and encouraged a new era of cooperation among services.



Better than half of the class, 520, will go on to pilot training. Another 25 will go Combat Systems Operations Training.

Being the Prime Minister, National List MP D. M. Jayaratne is now in a position to call in the SLAF to reach any destination, though weather may interfere with his plans. Inclement weather recently forced a helicopter carrying PM Jayaratne to touch down at the Kegalle Municipal Council grounds.

He was on his way to Colombo.

On hearing this, Chief Minister of the Sabaragamuwa Province Maheepala Herath rushed there and invited Jayaratne to his residence at Molamure.

Later, the Prime Minister had to borrow Herath s official vehicle to travel overland from Kegalle to Colombo.

The Somali pirates have caused an unprecedented international crisis by targeting ships over a period of time. A few years ago, no one would have expected a rag-tag force to challenge international sea routes, but today the international community is struggling to contain the threat.'

When compared with the LTTE, who had a fleet of ships, attack craft mounted with weapons and explosives-packed suicide boats at their disposal, the Somali pirates firepower was nothing, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

According to agency reports, the UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Russia to set up a special body to try Somalian ship hijackers.

According to the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center, Somali pirates attacked 217 vessels in 2009 and hijacked 47 of them.

In 2008, pirates staged 111 attacks off the Somali coast, seizing 42 ships.

About 20 countries, including leading NATO member states, India, China and several Arab states, have sent warships to the Gulf of Aden.

Sri Lanka too has been approached by concerned parties to see whether at least one war ship could be dispatched to the region.

Sri Lanka and India should fully liberalize air services within the two countries, further strengthen links between them and set an example to South Asia, the head of the island's state-run national carrier said.

'The time has come to a fully liberalize aviation in the region, which will be an example in the pursuit of true intra-regional trade,' SriLankan Airlines chairman Nishanta Wickremasinghe told a business forum in Colombo.

'From the airline's point of view I would unhesitatingly urge India to take that opportunity to fully liberalize air services to serve as a regional model.'

He was speaking at a business forum held with the India International Film Awards in Colombo.

Wickremasinghe said Sri Lanka had an aviation policy of liberalizing on the basis of reciprocity.

'Far reaching and timely decisions by Sri Lanka and India to liberalize (are needed),' he said.

'It could well serve as a model for other SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) countries.'

Capacity on the India-Lanka sector was tight until 2001 with India's state-airline being unable to buy new aircraft. Sri Lanka then abolished visas for Indians worsening the shortage.

India then allowed private airlines to fly to Colombo and other South Asian countries.

Sri Lankan Airlines even now flies more than 50 times a week to India down from 100 before the economic downturn, and is the top foreign carrier to the country.

Wickremasinghe said India's land mass was more than 50 times that of Sri Lanka. India had a population of over a billion people compared to 20 million in the case of Sri Lanka which showed that 'asymmetry of land has no bearing' on what could be achieved.