By Shamindra Ferdinando
The US has offered expert assistance to enhance Sri Lanka’s capability to protect their leaders. Over a dozen police officers working with the Presidential Security Division [PSD], the Prime Ministerial Security Division [PMSD], the Ministerial Security Division [MSD] and the Special Task Force [STF] responsible for providing security to the leaders except for former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar whose security remains in the hands of the army commandos, left for the US over the weekend, security sources said yesterday.

They were to begin training yesterday.

"The programme is aimed at improving our preparedness to face attacks on VIPs," an officer said while adding that they would be away for about four weeks. The officer expressed the belief that they would have to continue with ongoing security programmes despite the cease-fire between the security forces and the LTTE.

The group was selected by a specially set up Board of Selection subsequent to the recent Court of Appeal decision to prevent the officers chosen unilaterally by IGP Lakdasa Kodituwakku from taking part in the VIP programme as well as two other security related programmes.

The Court of Appeal restrained the officers after three senior officers, DIG W. Prathapasinghe, SSP H. G. Wickremesinghe and Nimal Lewke filed a joint application for a writs of certiorari and prohibition requesting the Court of Appeal to quash allegedly mala-fide selections made by the IGP.

Sri Lankan law enforcement officers have been regularly included in security programmes conducted by the US while groups of security forces have been benefited by US sponsored training programmes conducted both here and abroad.

Under their Extended Relations Programme [ERP] Sri Lanka was among the countries selected to receive instructors from the US forces including special forces such as US Navy SEALS and Green Berets.

There had been accusations that officers who had undergone training with US personnel had not been properly deployed, the sources said adding that over the years many experts have been sidelined for political reasons.