Sri Lanka police intelligence sleuths yesterday (June 20) arrested the mastermind behind recent civilian massacres carried out in Colombo and suburbs by the LTTE terrorists. According to the police sources, the terrorist has been acting as a handler of "suicide bombers" and the main distributor of bombs for the terrorist network in the South.

Police media spokesperson, Senior Superintendent of Police Ranjith Gunasekara speaking to the defence.lk said that, the arrest was made last evening during a special raid carried out in the Kotahena area. He said the arrest was made on information provided by one of suicide bomber arrested in the Wellawatte area few days ago. The said suicide bomber had been handled by the terrorist who was arrested yesterday, he added.

"The terrorist was found in possession of an identity card issued by the National Film Corporation calling him to be a Director of the Corporation", he said.

"Also, he has a shop in the first floor of the Kotahena Supermarket where he used to keep the suicide cadre harboured during night hours", he further said.

Police media spokesperson refrained from revealing the names of the two suspects but confirmed that both of them have already confessed the crimes they had committed against innocent civilians.

"It was this "director" who had sent the female suicide bomber on the mission that killed 14 people including 7 school boys of the D.S Senanayake College at the Fort railway station on 3rd February in the wake of the independence day celebrations", he said.

"The suicide bomber who was arrested in this case is the one who had made the bombs under his handler's shelter at the shop at Kotahena". "The 'Director' was the one who had distributed the bombs to the other bombers to carryout civilian massacres" he added.

defence.lk further learnt that the police had found 9.5 kg of high explosives, a stock of detonators , iron balls weighing 1.5kg, and batteries with the suicide bomber. During the interrogations made he had revealed vital information on the LTTE network in the south.

The suicide bomber has told the police that he had been engaged in reconnaissance operations on VIP movements close to the Government Information Department at Narahenpita during recent past.

According to our sources, the suicide bomber had requested from the Wanni to give him a target as soon as possible for he could end his life and the immense mental agony that he had been suffering. The suicide bomber has further told the police that he does not wish to die for the LTTE any longer and agreed to give his full cooperation for the investigations, the sources added.

Meanwhile, the "Director" has revealed that he was to participate for a cultural show held at BMICH yesterday (21). The Prime Minster and Minister Mahinda Yapa Abewardane were also to participate for the same event. Police have found an invitation addressed to the terrorist for the said event issued by the Director of Cultural Department.