Nearly Two Decades After Army HQ Bombing, Bail Granted In Fonseka Assassination Plot Case

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Colombo High Court has granted bail to two accused who have spent nearly 17 years in remand custody over allegations of aiding and abetting the LTTE suicide bomb attack that targeted former Army Commander Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.

The court ordered the release of the two accused on a cash bail of Rs. 200,000 and four personal sureties of Rs. 5 million each.

However, despite the bail order, Colombo High Court Judge Buddhi C. Ragala directed that the accused remain in remand custody as they were unable to fulfil the conditions necessary for their release.

The court further ordered the suspects to report to the Terrorism Investigation Division on the second and fourth Sundays of every month and directed that their passports be surrendered to the court.

The individuals granted bail were identified as Shanmugalingam Suriyakumar and Thambaiyah Prakash, alias "Danush", who are alleged to be former LTTE members.

The bail order was issued following an application made before the Court of Appeal. In arriving at its decision, the court took into consideration the fact that the accused had remained in remand custody for an exceptionally long period of approximately 17 years while legal proceedings continued.

According to court records, the maximum sentence that can be imposed in relation to the charges currently before court is 20 years of imprisonment.

The case relates to the devastating suicide bomb attack carried out on April 25, 2006, near the entrance to the Army Headquarters in Colombo.

The attack was allegedly executed by an LTTE female suicide bomber identified as "Durga", who detonated explosives while targeting then Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

The blast left Fonseka seriously injured and claimed the lives of several people, including a military sergeant and three corporals assigned to his security detail.

A number of members of the security forces and civilians were also killed in the attack.

The Attorney General has filed indictments against the two accused under a total of 230 charges in connection with the incident.

In addition to the present case, the two accused are also facing separate legal proceedings over allegations of attempting to assassinate former President Maithripala Sirisena in Boralesgamuwa and aiding and abetting the assassination of former Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle in Weliweriya.