Oct 19, 2007 (DVB), The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper has reported a seizure of high explosives linked to a monk from Shwedaung monastery in Mingala Taungnyunt township, Rangoon.

The article claims that the authorities called in a 30-year-old man named Asheigyi (also known as Kyaw Myo Min) for interrogation on 11 October. Asheigyi was said to be the son of Kyaw Htay, a lay attendant at Shwedaung monastery.

The information they gleaned from the interrogation led them to find "48 yellowish high explosive TNT cartridges" buried near Kyaw Htay's house in ChaungU, Monywa district.

According to the article, local authorities' investigations revealed that the explosives belonged to U Kovida, a 23-year-old monk from Shwedaung monastery. The explosives had originally been hidden in the monastery, but were then transferred to ChaungU by Asheigyi and two accomplices.

The New Light claimed that the incident is a sign that "external elements are sending explosives and accessories into the nation".

Reporting by DVB