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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 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. | 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. | 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. | The initial allegations brought by the government are of "committing military offences", military spokesman Maj-Gen Prasad Samarasinghe said. |
| 'Disgraceful' | 'Disgraceful' |
| Gen Fonseka's wife confirmed to the BBC that her husband had been detained after the security presence around his office in Colombo had been stepped up during the day. | |
| ANALYSIS Charles Haviland, BBC News, Colombo | |
| What President Mahinda Rajapaksa says Gen Fonseka has done is that he has plotted a coup and the assassination of the president and some of his family. | |
| But I am getting reports that the government information department says he has been arrested on charges of committing military offences and that could also refer to leaking certain very sensitive state security information. | |
| Since the election, Gen Fonseka has been responding by strenuously denying the accusations that the government has been spitting out against him. | |
| Gen Fonseka was meeting a number of politicians who had supported his candidacy. | 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 politicians at the meeting said the military police had given no reasons as they made the arrest. | |
| 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. |
| After the election, the government had accused Gen Fonseka of divulging sensitive information to the public, and of plotting both a coup and to assassinate the president and his family. | |
| Gen Fonseka has vehemently denied the charges. | |
| He said he feared an assassination attempt against him and had been told that airports would not allow him to leave the country. | |
| Analysts had predicted a closely fought election contest between the two architects of the government's victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels. | |
| But in the end President Rajapaksa won the vote comfortably - capturing 57% of the vote, while Sarath Fonseka won 40%. |