Gotabhaya probe: Ex- NIC commissioner arrested

Former National Identity Card Commissioner Vijaya Ranasinghe has been arrested for alleged involvement in preparing a forged National Identity Card for the LTTE suicide bomber who tried to kill Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa last week.

Mr. Ranasinghe was arrested by the CID on Friday at his residence in Colombo after initial investigations indicated he had issued the bogus card to the bomber, detectives said yesterday.

The bogus identity card for the suicide bomber was prepared with a Muslim name and was used to buy the threewheeler involved in the suicide bomb attack in Kollupitiya on December 1.

Four security forces personnel were killed and a large number injured in the attack while Mr. Rajapaksa himself escaped miraculously.