Intelligence sources say a deal was worked out with the help of a Government politico. The recipient to whom the loan has been extended, they say, is a political wing leader in the Vavuniya district.

A Government politico is said to have helped the man not only to secure the loan under the guerrilla's name but also given him other support. That came in the form of assistance from a finance company, also in Colombo, to purchase ten buses.
The buses are to be run on the A-9 highway from Omanthai to Muhamalai. The new service is to be named after a Hindu goddess.

It is not immediately clear for what purpose the Rs. 30 million loan is to be utilized.

Gen. Sir Michael to give his views
One of Britain's decorated soldiers, Gen. Sir Michael Rose (retired) will arrive in Colombo shortly at the invitation of the United Front Government.

Insiders say among those he will meet will be Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, top defence and security officials. Needless to say Gen. Sir Michael will have some advice to give on the workings of the security forces in their battle against terrorism.
He headed NATO's Implementation Force (IFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1996, overseeing the implementation of military aspects of the peace agreement that ended the Bosnian war.

The words of Gen. Sir Michael, a strong critic of NATO's use of high -tech weapons in the war in Kosovo, will come as food for thought to many a military top brass in Sri Lanka, who are strong advocates to make the security forces more high-tech. This is what Gen. Sir Michael once said:

"I think it's a natural instinct in human beings when they get a new weapons system to believe that it's going to solve all the problems that they've been grappling with hitherto. But it's only after a period of time and experience that you can really get the optimum use out of these weapons systems, and it's always by integrating them with other elements of the battlefield, not finding a single war-winning weapon, that's always going to solve your problems."

Out soon - the truth behind the safe house
The real truth behind the workings of the Safe House at Athurugiriya, run by the Army's Directorate of Military Intelligence, will become public soon !! An official statement, due in the coming weeks, will set the record right once and for all, according to highly placed sources.

This follows two different inquiries, one by the CID and another, into political and related aspects, by the Minister of Defence Tilak Marapana. The move will sure bring blushes to the faces of many who spoke so eloquently of conspiracies, mass murder plots or suspense usually found in thriller fiction and other fantasies that passed off as sacred facts.

Who misled the political leaders ? Was it done to settle their own personal scores ? Well, the UNF should take note that they did a lot of damage to national security.

Who paid for the mystery choppers?
The two Mi-24 Hind helicopters, or battleships in the air, as they are described, are no longer in the Sri Lanka Air Force inventory as serviceable. One was shot down in the battlefront in the north. The other came under fire and made a forced landing causing severe damage.

Now comes a bombshell. A three member committee probing military procurements is trying to find out who paid for these two choppers. It is claimed that each cost a staggering US $ 3.1 million though no one knows whether that is true. Air Force officers who testified have said they only took delivery of the aircraft and are unaware. They insist no payment was ever made by SLAF. There were even suggestions in some quarters that the two Mi-24s were gifts from a friendly country. To avoid being identified, they asked then Government to take charge of the choppers from Rosvoorouzhenie, the Russian State agency dealing with military sales (now re-named Promexport).

But others suspect payment was remitted but until now there is no evidence of any sort. That is not the only unfolding mystery of helicopter purchases. Another earlier deal, it has now come to light, relates to a contract to purchase six Mi-24 helicopters from a Singapore based middlemen at 1.3 million US dollars each. Instead, seven helicopters were procured. Was it because of fat commissions ? As one wag remarked, some always wanted more. Perhaps they are needed to support hench aiyas!! when the saviours cannot keep to their promises.

The proud boast
During his travel abroad, the man in number three slot in a service arm thought it fit to identify himself as the second in command. Perhaps he thought what he did abroad will not come to light. But the news has reached Headquarters from far out Africa. One of the participants at a seminar chose to meet another from Colombo. The story was out. Now there is embarrassment all round.

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