The government yesterday stressed that it will deal firmly with terrorist elements who were responsible for recent incidents in several parts of the country.

According to Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the maximum punishment will be meted out to the criminals who were involved in the murder of a policeman in Puttalam.

Following a special meeting held with the Muslim religious leaders of the East, the Defence Secretary said the government and the security forces are attempting to establish lasting peace in the country following the defeat of terrorism and have no intention to destabilize the prevailing peaceful situation in by tolerating such crimes.

The Defence Secretary said the security forces are dedicated to establish the peace in the country because they are the most affected by the unruly incidents.

Referring to the killing of a police officer in Puttalam and the attack on a Navy camp in Kinniya recently, the Secretary said stern actions will be taken against such unlawful groups as taking law into their own hands is similar to supporting terrorism.

The Defence Secretary urged the Muslim leaders to convey the message to their people that surrounding camps of security forces and attacking law enforcement institutions are akin to terrorist acts and the government will impose maximum punishment on those who violates the law.

"Therefore please tell your people not to engage in such things and believe rumours, most of the people are innocent but there are few behind these incidents," he has said.
Dismissing the rumours spread throughout the country that the government is behind the 'Grease Devil' attacks to prolong the Emergency Regulations, Rajapaksa said, only President takes decisions with regard to the extension of state of emergency and he has no intention to extend it to suit the needs of the America, Britain, India or any other country.

"The President only decides to extend the law of emergency considering the prevailing security situation in the island. The President is responsible only for the parliament and the public of the country," he said.