Asian Mirror can now reveal that six Defender jeeps and a group of 'mercenaries' attached to Avant-Garde private security firms have been used by top echelons of the former government for 'election operations' on January 06 and 07.

The sources from the Ops room which operated at 'Sirikotha', the UNP headquarters, said that the six Defenders and mercenaries left Colombo in the morning of January 06.  Two of the jeeps were sent to Moneragala, two to Kundasale on January 06 itself. The other two jeeps were seen in the Beruwala area on January 07.

Leaders of the UPFA, who led the party's campaign in aforesaid areas, were fully aware of the movements of defender jeeps and mercenaries, highly placed defence sources told Asian Mirror.

The mercenaries of the private security firm were clad in a military-like uniform, giving the impression that they belonged to the Sri Lankan armed forces.

Although the members of the Sirikotha Ops room had informed the security forces of the movements of Avant-Garde vehicles, they had failed to investigate into the matter.

Even after the election, they said, the investigations into the company's involvement in 'election operations'  have been 'blocked' by an unseen hand.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate has already ordered the Police to seize the passport of Avant-Garde Security Services Chairman Maj. Nissanka Yapa Senadhipath, preventing him leaving the country. The order was made upon a request made by teh Criminal Investigations Department (CID) which is conducting inquiries into the floating armory near Galle Harbour, belonging to Avant Garde security firm.

Avant-Garde, according to Police, was granted the floating armory contract by Rakna Lanka, the controversial security firm operating under the Defence Ministry.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is likely to lose his position as a Patron of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party if the ongoing investigations prove his involvement in the attempted election night coup, a group supporting President Maithripala Sirisena says.

The SLFP Central Committee met last evening with President Maithripala Sirisena at the chair and the party sources told Asian Mirror that the President was tightening his grip on the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

If the ongoing investigations into the attempted coup bring forth a substantial outcome, the former President will be accused by the party of conspiring against a democratically elected SLFP President.

“Such a development, “the SLFP sources said,” will cost him all the positions he holds in the party and his membership.”

Rajapaksa’s removal from his present position in the party will also expand the authority of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga over the SLFP. Presently,  both  Kumaratunga and Rajapaksa are ‘patrons’ of the SLFP,  sharing same powers and authority.

However, it was in the grapevine that the former President was exploring the possibility of forming a new political party with his loyalists to contest the forthcoming parliamentary election. It is becoming clear that Rajapaksa will find it hard to survive in the SLFP until the next general election.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harsha de Silva said the Sri Lankan government would certainly investigate into the assets in Seychelles belonging to the former first family in Sri Lanka and their closest associates.

“There are various ways through which we can conduct investigations. We can seek the assistance of private auditors and proceed with the matter. At the same time, we can conduct inquires with the help of the Stolen Assets Recovery Programme of the World Bank. The government can assure the public that no one will be able to hide the ‘stolen assets’ in Seychelles and dodge local law enforcement mechanism,” the Deputy Minister told Asian Mirror on Monday.

“Seychelles is known to be a safe haven for stolen assets and a money laundering hub. But, we, as a government, have realized the gravity of this matter,” de Silva also added.

The Deputy Minister, when he was in the opposition, said that embezzled funds, including money swindled from development projects in Si Lanka, were deposited in Swiss banks through Seychelles.

Due to strict laws adopted by Switzerland, he said, the amount of funds deposited in Swiss banks under Sri Lankan addresses had decreased in recent years while deposits through Seychelles had drastically increased.

“The population in Seychelles is slightly more than 90,000 but the deposits under the addresses of that country are worth about 3,000 million Swiss Francs last year, which is higher than the accumulated deposits under Sri Lankan addresses,” he told media.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, nearly seven months before his visit, opened a Sri Lankan High Commission in Seychelles while setting up a branch of the Bank of Ceylon in the island.

Despite its population which does not exceed 90,000, Mihin Lanka, an airline started under directives from former President Rajapaksa, started a direct flight to the island last year.

Sources from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party told that the party will contest the forthcoming Parliamentary Election with Nimal Siripala de Silva as its Prime Ministerial Candidate.

De silva was appointed as the Opposition Leader yesterday at the Central Committee meeting of the SLFP which was held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

“The party’s election campaign at the next Parliamentary Election will be led by Nimal Sirirpala de Silva, and President Maithripala Sirisena will play a neutral role as the President of the country,” a senior spokesperson of the party, speaking to Asian Mirror, said last night.

He also added that the SLFP is likely to contest the election under its traditional symbol ‘Hand’.

President Sirisena, according to the spokesperson, will be in a position to work with any political party that comes to power with a clear mandate at the next general election.

“This development indicates that former President Rajapaksa has only meager chances becoming the Prime Minister after the next General Election. However, Parliamentarain Namal Rajapaksa will be able to contest from the Hambanthota district under the UPFA ticket,” he added.

Former Economic Development Minister and National Organizer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Basil Rajapaksa has left for Dubai early this morning.

Rajapaksa had arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport at around 2 am this morning and had boarded the flight EK 349  at 2.45 am.

The former Minister’s wife Pushpa Rajapaksa has also left the country with him.

Basil Rajapaksa, who is the younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was instrumental in devising large scale development projects in the country over the past 10 years. He has also come under severe criticism from many sections of the opposition over alleged bribery and corruption.

He is known to be a green card holder of the United States of America.

SLFP central committee scheduled to meet this evening at party headquarters in Colombo 10 under party leader Mahinda Rajapaksa's patronage

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees this morning.

During the meeting, the President had assured the Opposition Leader that there would be a smooth transfer of power.

President Rajapaksa had also stated that he would accept the verdict of the people.

It is also learnt that President Rajapaksa had left Temple Trees.

The meeting took place in a context where the opposition’s candidate had taken an early lead at the presidential election.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa's overall percentage now stands at 45.2.

Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena is now ahead of President Mahinda Rajapaksa with a majority of  32,725  votes.

The Common Candidate took the lead with the results of Galle and Kilinochchi polling divisions.

Maithripala Sirisena has so far obtained 169 918 votes and President Mahinda Rajapaksa has secured 137 193 votes.

Sirisena's percentage now stands at 54.8 while the percentage of Rajapaksa stands at 44.3.

Senior Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana refuted rumors stating that the parliament will be dissolved immediately after the presidential election if President Rajapaksa wins it.

Speaking at a meeting of party leaders supporting the president in Colombo yesterday, he said that constitutional reforms will be carried out within the term of this parliament.

He added that there was no doubt about the victory of the president and said that after the victory a constitutional committee will be formed to draft a new constitution. This will be done within a year, he stated, and pointed out that there was no need of dissolving the parliament.

Meanwhile Prof. Vitharana also commented on charges of corruption, indimidation and curtailment of media freedom leveled at the government sayiong that the United National Party regime of 1977-94 saw a serious level of such malpractices. He questioned as to how a opposition alliance which includes the UNP will assure that these will not take place once it is in power.