Gota links Fonseka to Lasantha’s slaying

(February 11, Colombo,Sri Lanka Guardian) Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has linked General Sarath Fonseka to the slaying of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunga in January 2009 adding that the full truth will be made available soon.

Mr. Rajapakse was quoted by the Singapore Straits Times as saying “We know there was no other person (involved). You have to see the circumstances. Some of the media people harmed had never criticized any other person except him or people close to him. Nothing happened to those who had been criticizing me or the president.

“We have a clue whom he has used (in the killing). We are very convinced. In fact, I know for sure. He was definitely responsible for five or six cases (of disappearances) where media people were involved. Now I am going after the people who did the executions. The truth will come out very soon.”

He was further quoted as saying that Fonseka would be charged under the Army Act. And that the court martial will begin immediately.” He can be put in jail for as long as five years”, he w3as quoted him as saying.

“He was planning military rule… He was completely trying to isolate the politics and take the country on a different path… In his very last stages as army commander he began bringing his people into Colombo and his regiment, positioning his senior regiment people all over… All these things were looking like a military coup,” he said.

“We are 100 percent convinced that Western countries with vested interests were backing him. Even the US, and countries like Norway, spent lots of money on his campaign.