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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| S Lanka election loser arrested | S Lanka election loser arrested |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The defeated candidate in Sri Lanka's presidential election, Gen Sarath Fonseka, has been arrested, news reports have said. | The defeated candidate in Sri Lanka's presidential election, Gen Sarath Fonseka, has been arrested, news reports have said. |
| Gen Fonseka was defeated by incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa last month by six million votes to four million. | Gen Fonseka was defeated by incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa last month by six million votes to four million. |
| Gen Fonseka rejected the results and vowed to challenge them in court. | Gen Fonseka rejected the results and vowed to challenge them in court. |
| The government has been seeking legal advice to bring a court martial against the general on charges of plotting to overthrow the administration. | The government has been seeking legal advice to bring a court martial against the general on charges of plotting to overthrow the administration. |
| Gen Fonseka was in charge of Sri Lanka's army when it defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels last year after a destructive civil war lasting more than a quarter of a century. | |
| However, he fell out with President Rajapaksa soon after and the pair fought a bitter election campaign. | |
| The initial allegations brought by the government are of "committing military offences", military spokesman Maj-Gen Prasad Samarasinghe said. | |
| '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'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 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. | 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. |