A group of journalists on a visit to Kinniya as part of a conducted tour organized by the Highways Ministry was in for a rude shock when a boorish senior government official described the media personnel as "terrorists" and summoned the police.

While a helpless media officer of the Highways Ministry looked on, this official lashed out at the 16-member group of journalists from the print and electronic media and refused to recognize the media accreditation given by the Government Information Department.

It happened when the visiting scribes were taken to the China Bay Jetty last Thursday evening to report on the progress and highlight the massive development work undertaken by the government in the East.

"You all are terrorists", the official, described as an engineer, shouted while the shocked journalists and the Ministry officer, who accompanied the group, stood dumbfounded.

While the media persons, which also included television crew from the state and private stations, showed their credentials and tried to explain, the aggressive official summoned the police.

He was expected to explain the progress of the construction of the 416 metre bridge being across the Kinniya Lagoon connecting Kinniya with Trincomalee, with funding of Rs 710 million from the Saudi Government, but instead accused the vistors of being ".

The police accompanied by the army arrived at the scene but after the visitors established their credentials, they withdrew. The visit had been cleared by the SF Commander (East) on a prior request made by the Government Information Department.

The official was so rude that he even refused to answer a call from Highways Minister T. B. Ekanayake and Media Secretary to the Ministry Shirantha Premawardena in the presence of hundreds of Kinniya residents during the commotion at the China Bay Jetty.

Residents of the area who were awaiting the arrival of the ferry to take them across complained to the journalists that this official closed the site during day time and carried out construction work at a slow pace at night.