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Immigration officials warned C-4 crew prior to departure

18 Nov 2013 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Immigration and Emigration Department Chief Chulananda Perera today admitted that he ordered six officials of the department to visit the hotel where the Channel 4 crew were staying and warn them against acting beyond the conditions laid down in their visas.

“I ordered the officials to do so because I had received information that the crew were planning to enter Temple Trees. The officials discussed this matter with the crew and reminded them that they were bound by law of the land and that should not violate the visa conditions,” he said.

The allegations made by Perera were denied by the Channel-4 journalists who confirmed that they had no intention of visiting Temple Trees.

When Daily Mirror asked the Immigration Chief as to where he recieved information regarding the alleged move, he said “informed sources” had told him about it.

When asked about the claim made by Channel-4 journalists that the officials carried cameras and were recording the proceedings, he replied in the affirmative.

“That’s what they normally do on such visits,” Mr. Perera said.

The Channel 4 journalists had left the country sooner than expected claiming they could not continue working as journalists given the level of threat and intimidation they had faced.

The officials are reported to have visited the hotel at 6.30 a.m. on Sunday.

The Channel 4 journalists complained that they had been constantly followed by state intelligence agencies.

They claimed that this was substantiated by an “organized demonstration” that took place in Anuradhapura.

No official or the media were previously informed about their travel itinerary.

However when Daily Mirror contacted military spokesman Ruwan Wanigasuriya, he dismissed the claims of monitoring the journalists and said it was a “ruse to attract attention”.( By Hafeel Farisz)

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Immigration officials warned C-4 crew prior to departure

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