Nick Paton Walsh and cameraman Matt Jasper leave their Colombo hotel after being expelled

The Government yesterday announced that it had deported three journalists of the London-based Channel 4 television for what it termed false reporting on the on-going humanitarian operations in the North.

Head of the Media Center for National Security Lakshaman Hulugalle told media that the journalists had admitted they had ‘done something wrong’ and they would not be allowed to come back to Sri Lanka.

They had been deported at 7.30 am yesterday, the government said.

Nick Paton-Walsh, the channel’s Asian correspondent, however spoke to The Associated Press from Singapore and denied giving a statement to police or admitting wrongdoing. "This is complete rubbish," he told AP after arriving in Singapore. Walsh said he had been detained with producer Bessie Du and cameraman Matt Jasper by the police in the eastern town of

Trincomalee and asked to give a statement, but he had refused.

He said on Saturday that he believed the arrests were connected to his recent report on conditions of war refugees and alleged sexual abuse in camps for those who fled the northern war zone.