Former Sri Lankan Army chief arrested, to be court-martialled (Second Lead)
February 9th, 2010 - 12:37 am ICT by IANS ( 3 comments )Colombo, Feb 8 (IANS) Former Sri Lankan Army chief Sarath Fonseka was arrested Monday and will be court-martialled for military crimes, an official said.
Lakshman Hullugala, director general of the Media Centre for National Security, told state television that Fonseka will be court-martialled.
Fonseka has been accused of revealing military secrets and also plotting the assassination of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Daily Mirror of Sri Lanka reported on its website.
He was arrested by the military police.
Fonseka’s media secretary Senaka de Silva was also arrested.
Fonseka was the main challenger to Rajapaksa in the country’s sixth presidential election Jan 26, in which Rajapaksa defeated him by 1.8 million votes.
Fonseka was a key figure in the government’s military offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels between 2006 and 2009.
He resigned from the military in November 2009 and ran for the presidency as the common candidate of the opposition parties.
- Former Sri Lankan Army chief arrested (Lead) - Feb 09, 2010
- Hearing in fraud case against Rajapaksa begins - Jul 05, 2010
- Fonseka loses MP seat appeal as Sri Lankan SC rules court martial legal - Jan 26, 2011
- Sri Lanka court frees four co-accused in Fonseka 'conspiracy' case - Sep 25, 2010
- Three-year jail term for Sarath Fonseka - Sep 18, 2010
- Sri Lanka court frees ex-army chief's aides - Sep 25, 2010
- Sri Lanka opposition protests court martial of former army chief - Aug 17, 2010
- Sri Lankan president ratifies ex-army chief's dishonorable discharge - Aug 14, 2010
- India tells Lanka to follow law in Fonseka arrest - Feb 11, 2010
- Sri Lankan ex-army chief's son-in-law to be arrested - Feb 15, 2010
- Sri Lanka military court finds former Army chief guilty - Aug 13, 2010
- Court martial politically motivated: Sri Lanka's ex-army chief - Sep 09, 2010
- Opposition protests arrest of ex-army chief in Sri Lanka - Feb 09, 2010
- Sri Lankan ex-Army chief convicted for engaging in politics while on active service - Aug 13, 2010
- Fonseka jailed for three years - Nov 18, 2011
Tags: army chief, challenger, daily mirror, de silva, lakshman, mahinda rajapaksa, media secretary, military police, military secrets, national security, opposition parties, presidency, president mahinda rajapaksa, presidential election, s media, sarath fonseka, senaka, sri lankan army, state television, tamil tiger rebels
February 11th, 2010 at 12:46 am
This is illlegal. The Rajapakse administration are despots and murders. India please dont play a double game. You must put pressure on the government for the release of General Sarath Fonseka ( the true son of Sri Lanka)The full names of the Rajapakses are as follows:-Please show respect and address and as follows
1) Idi Amin Mahinda Rajapakse
2) Hitler Gotabaya Rajapakse
3) Pol Pot Basil Rajapakse
4) Saddam Chamal Rajapakse
5) Mussolini Namal Rajapakse
(mahindas son)
February 11th, 2010 at 12:51 am
Actually General Sarath Fonseka is the Nelson Mandela of Sri Lanka.
When he was the Commander of the Sri Lankan Army he was compared to General Colin Powell of the USA.
We salute you General Sarath Fonseka. You are the legitimate President of Sri Lanka and we look forward to seeing you occupy ‘temple trees’ and guiding Sri Lanka to its destiny. You are truly the hero of heroes.
February 14th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Gotabay Rajapakse should court martialled not Sarath Fonseka.