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Probe begins into aid workers' killing

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Commission to inquire into abductions

COLOMBO: Amid charges by the Sri Lanka military that the LTTE has continued with its campaign of terror in the east despite the Co-Chairs announcement on resumption of peace talks, Australian investigators probing the execution-style killing of 17 national aid workers of a French NGO exhumed two bodies from a cemetery in eastern Sri Lanka on Saturday.

The cold blooded murder of the 17 aid workers in Muttur town, in the aftermath of chaos that followed control of the Muslim-dominated town by LTTE in the first week of August, hit international headlines and evoked world-wide condemnation. It has also been a major cause of disagreement between the Government and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) with the later hinting at the possibility of involvement of Sri Lanka forces in the killings.

Reports said the remains of the aid workers would be transported here where they would be re-examined as part of an Australian-led, independent inquiry. Other bodies may be exhumed once their families give their consent.

In a related development, Members of Parliament of several political parties here expressed grave concern over the growing number of abduction of business persons of a particular community.

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