1.  A junior German defence minister, Joerg Schoenboehm, visited Beijing at the beginning of the month and was informed then that the Chinese government sought military cooperation.

2.  A two-month deadline to weaken the Tigers was set by junior defence minister Anuruddha Ratwatte in parliament last month.

3.  But Kumaratunga appointed her cousin and retired army colonel Anuruddha Ratwatte as junior defence minister.

4.  Defence sources said junior defence minister Anuruddha Ratwatte and army chief Gerry de Silva were in Palaly directing the latest offensive.

5.  Junior defence minister Captain Tom Nyuma was among those who escaped from the attack, which occurred on Tuesday.

6.  Junior defence minister Anuruddha Ratwatte vowed to crush the Tamil Tigers and warned that skirmishes will be inevitable until the separatists were routed.

7.  Junior defence minister Lawal Batagarawa told reporters late Tuesday the clean-up and detonation of the explosives would commence Wednesday morning.

8.  Kumaratunga appointed her cousin and retired army colonel Anuruddha Ratwatte as junior defence minister responsible for the day to day running of the military and the police.

9.  Police officials said the soldiers arrested Wednesday were members of a unit that provided security to former junior defence minister Anurudha Ratwatte.

10.  Ratwatte, who is also the junior defence minister, said President Chandrika Kumaratunga has agreed to pay compensation to those not adequately covered by insurance.