Police uncover clues into killing of Sri Lankan intelligence officer

Investigations have uncovered several key clues into the killing of a top intelligence officer by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels, Sri Lanka's police chief said Monday. Lt. Col. Rizwi Meedin, was shot dead late Saturday near his home just outside the capital, Colombo. He was the most senior intelligence officer slain since Norway brokered a cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and the rebels in 2002. "The investigation is so far very successful," said Chandra Fernando, inspector general of police. He said police were able to uncover several "key clues," from the crime scene, but declined to elaborate, saying it may hinder the probe.

"It is the LTTE, no one else," Fernando said, using the acronym for the Tigers' formal name: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Meedin, who had previously been involved in investigating the Tigers, had received death threats from the rebels.

In May, suspected guerrillas shot dead another senior officer, Maj. Nizam Mutaliph, in Colombo. Scores of others linked to military intelligence have been killed in attacks blamed on the Tamil rebels. The government has accused the rebels of exploiting the free movement facilitated by the truce to gun down military intelligence operatives.

The cease-fire halted fighting in the two-decade civil war between the Tigers and the government that had killed about 65,000 people. Subsequent peace talks have been deadlocked over rebel demands for wide autonomy.

European truce monitors have warned that the violence seriously threatens the fragile cease-fire, reports the AP. I.L.