Minister admits suspect worked for minister Devananda and late MP

Defence Affairs spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told BBC sandeshaya that the suspect, named only as Vasanthan, who is being treated in the hospital did work for the state security forces.

He has worked in the security contingent of EPDP leader, minister Douglas Devananada, and the murdered MP Maheswaran as well, he said.

Listen to Minister Rambukwella's interview

United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian T Maheswaran was gunned on the new year's day by a gunman who was instantly shot by the MP's securiy guard.

The assassin is identified by Sunday Times newspaper as Johnson Collin Wasanthan Valentine.

Admitting that the gunman has worked for the state, minister Rambukwella told BBC Sandeshaya that LTTE's infiltration into security forces needs to be investigated.

He did not however accused the LTTE of killing the Tamil MP who has lodged an official complaint into reducing his security after the vote for the budget proposals for which he voted against.

The UNP and opposition leader, Ranil Wickramasinghe, told the BBC that Mahinda Rajapaksa government should take the responsibility for the killing of the parliamentarian.