Sri Lankan capital on alert after police seize fake vehicle plates

Associated Press, Mon February 5, 2007 04:42 EST . r COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) _ Sri Lankan police seized 91 vehicle number plates from a train in a Tamil-majority northeastern town, the military said Monday, sparking some concern in the capital that Tamil rebels could be planning a car bomb attack.

Military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, however, said it was still unclear exactly where the plates were being taken or what their intended use was.

``We don't know what their plan is, but we are investigating, but the number plates were found in Trincomalee on a train that had originated in Colombo,'' he said, correcting an earlier report that the train was heading to the capital.

The plates were found during a routine check of the train on Sunday evening as Sri Lankans celebrated their 59th Independence Day. Four people _ all ethnic Tamil men _ were arrested after a search of the train, Samarasinghe said.

Although Samarasinghe dismissed earlier reports that the plates could have been used by Tamil Tiger rebels in a suicide car bombing, the news alarmed Colombo, which has frequently been targeted by the insurgents in their decades-long civil war.

Security was tightened in the capital, where there was already an increased troop presence on the roads due to Independence Day celebrations.

Earlier, suspected Tamil Tiger rebels killed a Sri Lankan soldier during a raid on a northern security post early Monday in Vavuniya, the last government-held town ahead of rebel territory. The Defense Ministry said Tamil Tigers raided the post before dawn, killing one soldier and wounding three.

Meanwhile, an army foot patrol was attacked Sunday night near Trincomalee, a port town. The patrol fired back and a search operation found the body of a rebel. The military suffered no casualties.

The Tamil Tigers, formally called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils after decades of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese.

About 3,600 people have died since violence escalated early last year despite a 2002 cease-fire.

The government says it is willing to give limited autonomy in areas where Tamil live, but rebels want sweeping autonomy which the government says will infringe on the island nation's sovereignty.

Refugees refuse to go back without a guarantee on safety

Refugees who fled the former LTTE-stronghold, Vakarai, have urged the Sri Lankan authorities to guarantee their safety before returning home.

The eastern Sri Lankan town was captured by the Sri Lanka security forces in early January.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and armed forces commanders made a surprise visit to Vakarai and other captured areas on Saturday.

Rajapaksa pledged to 'liberate' Tamils and bring normalcy to the captured areas.

17,000 refugees

Nearly 17,000 refugees from over 4000 families are now living in temporary camps or with relatives.

President Rajapaksa made a surprise visit to Vakarai

President pledged to bring normalcy to recently captured areas

The refugees who earlier lived in 37 villages near Vakarai under LTTE-control fled their homes as violence escalated between Sri Lanka troops and Tamil Tigers.

Most of them are willing go back to their homes.

But the government should guarantee a safe return and pledge not to continue with attacks or search operations, they say.

Search operations

"There is no point of going back if we were to be arrested and sent to Boossa detention camp," a refugee told journalist Shanthi Selvadorai who visited a camp in Valaichchenai.

"We need to live a normal life".

Many refugees stressed that no militant group should be given free reign in and around Vakarai.

Presence of the militant groups, whether LTTE or anti-LTTE faction, would create more tension in already volatile eastern district, they said.