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Dinesh back today: Dramatic role by diplomat
The 36-year-old Sri Lankan truck-driver Dinesh Rajaratnam, abducted and held captive by Iraqi resistance groups together with his Bangladeshi colleague for over two months, is scheduled to arrive in Colombo at 8 O'clock this morning. Accompanying him will be Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Baghdad, Amanullah Farook, who was instrumental in securing the release of the two men employed by a Kuwaiti company when they were taken hostage by groups opposing the occupation of Iraq by US and British forces.

Ambassador Farook, who was asked to leave Iraq during the invasion of that country last year was resident in Lebanon from where he used his old contacts in Iraq to establish the whereabouts of Mr. Rajaratnam. Having received credible information that he could secure the release of the captives, Ambassador Farook had arrived in Baghdad.

Then, having actually taken custody of both Mr. Rajaratnam and Abul Kashem, 42, he proceeded to the Indian Embassy in Baghdad, one of the few foreign missions operating in the city. From there, he telephoned Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and gave him the good news.

In Colombo, the Foreign Office issued a one-line press release the same day announcing that Mr. Rajaratnam was in safe custody. No further details were given because getting out of Iraq was still a major hurdle to overcome.

Having issued an emergency travel document to the Bangladeshi national as well, Ambassador Farook purchased air tickets to leave for Amman in Jordan. Early last morning, the three of them left for Baghdad airport which is infested with over 100 check-points. The highway is known as ' The Death Road ' due to constant ambushes by resistance groups.

Foreign Minister Kadirgamar had given instructions to ensure the safe custody of the Bangladeshi national as well as Mr. Rajaratnam and to bring both to Colombo if necessary.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shansher M. Choudhry telephoned his Sri Lankan counterpart H.M.G.S. Pallihakkara last morning and thanked Sri Lanka for securing the release of one of their nationals. He had requested Sri Lanka issue the travel papers for him to leave Amman for Bangladesh as Jordian authorities would permit him to do so only on that basis as he had entered that country with a Sri Lankan travel document. Instructions were given from Colombo to issue the Bangladeshi national with a Sri Lankan travel document to leave Jordan safely.

Mr. Rajaratnam and Ambassador Farook were earlier scheduled to arrive in Colombo via Doha late last night on a Qatar Airways flight, but are now scheduled to arrive this morning. Ambassador Farook had not given any details of which group had kidnapped the two truck-drivers and kept them hostage for two months without making any demands. No details were given of how he secured their release, or whether any ransom monies had to be paid for their release. He is expected to give a news conference in Colombo giving these details.

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