Sri Lanka’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Major General Shavendra Silva, has been asked to appear before a New York District Court to answer charges related to alleged war crimes and the war veteran said he was willing to challenge any charges made against him or troops under his command in any court anywhere in the world.

A so-called temple run by two Japanese monks of the Mahayana sect at Liberty Plaza was closed down by Police yesterday after a group of Buddhist monks staged a protest against it. The foreign monks had been running the “temple” for more than five years and people had paid between Rs. 500,000 and one million with promises that they could attain enlightenment and be absolved of their sins by performing certain religious practices after paying the money.