The reaction came after Philip Alston, UN special reporter on extrajudicial executions, on Thursday urged an independent probe after a forensic pathologist, a forensic video analyst and a firearms expert concluded the video was likely real.

Britain's Channel 4 television aired a video last year that it said shows government troops killing unarmed, naked, bound and blindfolded men during the army's final assault to smash the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The government immediately rejected it as a fraud perpetrated by Tamil Tiger supporters angry the separatist group had been defeated, and said its own investigation, using Sri Lankan civilian and military experts, had found it was doctored.

"We reject these allegations," Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said. "In light of those continued contradictory findings, we can't accept it." More...Discuss this story Published: Fri Jan 8 09:33:46 EST 2010

Then he asked for some green tea, which Dilhan delivered on another piece of paper. Fernando beamed as he put the samples side by side. They looked similar but were starkly different from the silvery white tea produced by his company, Dilmah, which is sold in supermarkets for nearly four times the price of Twinings.

“All the brands without exception sell as white tea either 99 percent black tea or green tea with one piece of white tea,” Fernando, 79, said ruefully. “This is what we are up against. This is what the consumer is up against. But this is part of normal trade, and I have begun to accept it.”

Twinings said it used a Chinese white tea variety known as Bai Mudan in its tea bags and the more exclusive silver needle variety, which is similar to Dilmah’s white tea, in its loose leaf tea. More...Discuss this story Published: Fri Jan 8 21:36:20 EST 2010

Philip Alston, an independent expert on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said his investigation into possible war crimes committed during the conflict with Tamil rebels, indicated the government report wasn't thorough or impartial, the United Nations said in a release.

"The conclusion clearly is that the video is authentic," Alston said "I have therefore called on the government of Sri Lanka to respond to these allegations."

The government has denied the allegations raised by the video, which purportedly shows extrajudicial execution of two Tamil men by the Sri Lankan military as well as claimed prior executions. More...Discuss this story Published: Thu Jan 7 21:56:29 EST 2010