Twenty-eight Sri Lankan asylum seekers, who were deported from Britain, arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake in a special flight a short while ago. They included 14 Tamils, 9 Sinhalese and 5 Muslim.The CID will record statements from them, Police sources said.

Earlier international media reported that 60 Lankan asylum seekers were to be deported from Britian.

Earlier, the London based Guardian said that the UK high court has ordered that the imminent deportation to Sri Lanka of a number of Tamils be halted amid claims they may be tortured on their return.

Three solicitors’ firms have confirmed to the Guardian that a number of their clients had been given last-minute reprieves and would no longer be flown out of the country on a specially chartered UK Border Agency (UKBA) flight that was expected to be leave on Tuesday afternoon. It is understood that a further 10 to 12 firms have also lodged last-minute appeals on behalf of their clients.

By Deepa Adikari
Source:  Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)