Tamil migrant accused of Tiger ties says he only worked at Tiger-owned garage

VANCOUVER - A Tamil migrant who arrived on the MV Sun Sea says he worked for a Tamil Tiger-owned garage, but was never a member of the organization or even got paid.

The man is the first to testify at what will be at least 15 inadmissibility hearings for people accused of terrorism, human smuggling or war crimes that arrived on B.C.’s coast last August and made refugee claims.

The man, who cannot be identified under a publication ban, told the Vancouver Immigration and Refugee Board hearing he worked at the garage for about six months in 1996 after he was forced to flee home because the army was advancing.

He says he believed the group was “trying to help” the Tamil population, but he never joined when asked and didn’t want to “encourage” their activities.

Federal government lawyers are fighting the release of several would-be refugees over allegations they are members of the banned Sri Lankan terrorist group.

Of 492 people who arrived on the freighter, 107 people remain in detention including six women, The Canadian Press reported.

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Ukrainians injured as police dismantle Kiev 'tent city'

At least 10 demonstrators have been injured in clashes with Ukrainian police and another 100 detained in the capital Kiev after authorities began dismantling a makeshift "tent city" protesting against corruption. The tent city was set up in October by supporters of Mikheil Saakashvili, a former president of Georgia who has become an opposition politician in Ukraine. Saakashvili, a critic of corruption in Ukraine, was deported to Poland in February. He said he was "kidnapped" by Ukrainian authorities and removed from the country against his will. Andriy Kryshchneko, police chief of police, said at the camp on Saturday that "two court decisions" allowed authorities to search and dismantle the camp. Police said that explosives and other weapons were found at the scene

PayPal wants report from Sri Lanka: Sampath, three other banks to introduce service

Though the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) was first to introduce PayPal to Sri Lanka through the Sampath Bank, it is revealed that three other banks too have been now earmarked by the CBSL. A senior official from the CBSL told AdaderanaBiz, “We were to first introduce PayPal through the Sampath Bank. However, we now plan to introduce this service to the country through four banks. We also plan to gradually involve the rest of the banks in the country.” While the CBSL is discussing with the PayPal branch in India to introduce the service to Sri Lanka, PayPal’s Indian arm has reportedly requested a report on Sri Lanka’s exports. The senior CBSL official told AdaderanaBiz that they would be submitting such a report and hence the introduction of PayPal to Sri Lanka would face a slight delay. Though cash cannot be remitted to Sri Lanka through the world renowned PayPal money transfer service sending money from Sri Lanka is possible even now.

ASSIGNING OF PREFERENTIAL NUMBERS FOR LG POLLS COMPLETED

The Election Secretariat announced that assigning preferential numbers for candidates of the Local Government election to be held for 67 bodies has been completed. Preparations are currently underway to hold the polls under the 2010 electoral register, Additional Elections Commissioner W.P. Sumanasiri said. The electoral register of the year 2010 is scheduled to be certified on June 31.

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