Four acquitted of Tamil murders

The camp was destroyed after the attack

Four men have been freed from custody in Sri Lanka after the Supreme Court acquitted them of involvement in the killing of 27 Tamils five years ago.

The judges said the men's guilt had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

One of those freed, a policeman, was on duty on the night the young Tamil men died when locals stormed the detention centre where they were being held.

The 25 October 2000 attack at Bandarawela in central Sri Lanka was internationally condemned.

'Burnt alive'

As well as the 27 who died, 14 others were seriously injured in the attack on the centre at Bindunuwewa, which housed mainly teenage Tamil Tiger rebel suspects.

When the victims went running to policemen seeking protection, they were fired at by the police Judge Ambepitiya, July 2003

Local residents attacked the inmates with clubs and knives after reports they had taken a security guard hostage. Some victims were said to have been burnt alive.

Judges severely criticised the role of the police in the massacre.

The four acquitted on Friday - police officer Jayampathi Karunasenawere and three local men, DM Sepala Dissanayake, MA Samee and RM Premananda - were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court in July 2003, but appealed.

Another policeman, Tyronne Roger Ratnayake, was sentenced to death at the same time.

He was ordered freed last year by the Supreme Court for lack of evidence.

Sentencing the five in July 2003, Judge Ambepitiya had said: "When the victims went running to policemen seeking protection, they were fired at by the police."

Another 13 people had faced trial in connection with the attack, but were also released for lack of evidence.