Colvin guides held for six months

Miss Colvin was allowed to go after she was badly hurt

By Francis Harrison in Colombo

Two Sri Lankans accused of helping Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin cross in and out of rebel Tamil Tiger territory in April have been brought before a court for the first time since they were detained.

Miss Colvin was allowed to leave the country after she was badly injured by security forces while crossing the line on her way out of the rebel territory.

Tamil rebels blamed the army for Miss Colvin's injury

Many people in Sri Lanka were unhappy that the foreigner at the centre of this story was allowed to leave the country, while Sri Lankans accused of helping her have been languishing in detention.

A magistrate in the northern town of Vavuniya ordered the two suspects remanded in custody for a further six months while inquiries continue.

Lawyers for the detained guides argued that it was impossible for the authorities to investigate the case when the main suspect, Miss Colvin, had been allowed to leave the country.

They said it was extremely unlikely that she would return to give evidence and that the two men alleged to have been her local guides should therefore be released.

The magistrate ordered the police to submit a report to the court as soon as possible and said he planned to refer the matter to the attorney-general for his opinion on whether to proceed.

Lives endangered

In total, six men were arrested in connection with Marie Colvin's visit to rebel territory.

However, three of them are thought to have been released, since they were no longer held in local police and army detention camps recently inspected by the district judge.

The plight of the alleged guides has received only a tiny fraction of the publicity surrounding Marie Colvin herself.

Some media rights groups have been reluctant to take up the issue, because the detainees are not journalists.

But the case raises the issue of what responsibility reporters should take for people whose lives they endanger in the course of their work.