COLOMBO, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- General Sarath Fonseka who was to be interviewed by the United States authorities on alleged rights abuses returned home Thursday morning, Colombo airport sources said.

    Fonseka was to appear before a U.S. Homeland Security Department interview over alleged crimes in combat during the last stages of the military conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels.

    However, the Sri Lankan government protested over the U.S. move, claiming it was a ploy to frame Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the defense secretary and a younger brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse.

    Gotabhaya as the top defense official who was having day-to-day control of the military action.

    The government claimed Fonseka had chosen to return without facing the interview following a government directive.

    A U.S. State Department report issued last month accused Sri Lanka of war atrocities.