SL Government arrests General Sarath Fonseka

The government of Sri lanka arrested General sarath Fonseka a short while ago.Major General Prasad Samarasinghe said Mr.Fonseka has charges of committing  military offences.

UPDATE: General (Retired) Sarath Fonseka has been taken into custody by the Military Police, says Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) Director General Lakshman Hulugalle.

Mr. Hulugalle said that General Fonseka was arrested for discussing with certain sections of the Opposition, conspiring to topple the government and also for creating divisions within the Sri Lanka Army while he was its Commander and also when he was the Chief of Defence Staff.

 The retired General is to face a Court Marshal where evidence against him will be produced, Mr. Hulugalle told the media.

 Earlier in the evening, the BBC carried the following report:

 Sri Lanka’s former military commander says that he is prepared to give evidence in an international court on war crime charges against Sri Lanka. General Sarath Fonseka speaking to journalists in Colomboon Monday said, “I am not going to save anyone who has committed war crimes”.

 International human rights organisations as well as the US State Department have alleged that the Sri Lankan government committed war crimes during the final phase of the war against Tamil Tigers.

 Several human rights organisations have called to try the Sri Lankan state in international courts on alleged abuses against civilians and surrendees.

 During the presidential election where Gen. Fonseka challenged President Mahinda Rajapaksa, both claimed credit for defeating the LTTE.

 “I am definitely going to reveal what I know, what I was told and what I heard. Anyone who has committed war crimes should definitely be brought into courts,” Gen. Fonseka said.

 “Those who reveal the truth are not traitors,” he added.

'Disgraceful'

Gen Fonseka's wife confirmed to the BBC that her husband had been detained after the security presence around his office had been stepped up during the day.

Gen Fonseka was meeting a number of politicians who had supported his candidacy.

The Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem told Reuters news agency: "He was dragged away in a very disgraceful manner in front of our own eyes."

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says the arrest was dramatic but not unexpected and there must now by questions about whether this is the start of a bigger clampdown on the opposition.