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Did Jameel’s triggering mechanism fail or did he get cold feet?
Footage of Abdul Jameel Mohamed, the suspected bomber who detonated a bomb in a small guest house close to the Dehiwala Zoo on Easter Sunday morning points to his primary target being the Taj Hotel.
The site of the Dehiwala blast (above and top). Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara and Sameera Weerasekera
Police sources said that, detectives suspect Jameel’s triggering mechanism failed to function at his primary target – Taj Hotel. Like the other suicide bombers he too is pictured wearing a baseball cap, captured on CCTV imagery from the Taj.
He too was carrying a backpack suspected to be laden with explosives, and a suitcase on that fateful day. Did Jameel’s triggering mechanism fail or did he get cold feet? “It is too early in the investigation to comment,” the source said.
Jameel had enrolled in an aviation college at Ratmalana and had visited the United Kingdom in 2006 in pursuit of becoming an aeronautical engineer. He had returned in 2008, only to move to Australia for post graduate studies from 2009 – 2013. Reports indicate that Jameel had been known to both Australian and British security agencies, who were concerned about his extremist views.
“He had hailed a three wheeler close to Wellawatta area on Galle Road, the driver is known to me and he had driven him here to my guest house,” Sumith Wijelal, the owner of the lodge told the Sunday Times.
The bomber had asked the three-wheeler driver to take him towards Dehiwala and while en route he had asked the three wheeler driver whether he could take him to a place where he could rent a room,” Mr. Wijelal said.
“I made a living for 20 years running this place, now it is ruined,” he said. The guest house is in rubbles. Police have cordoned off the area with forensics officers combing it for evidence. The explosion had propelled a main bean on the room skywards, it had fallen onto a neighbours lawn three houses away. Roofing tile and other rubble were thrown 40-50 meters away from the blast site.
According to Mr. Wijelal, the bomber had arrived at the lodge between 9.50 – 10 a.m. and requested a room that could be locked in from the outside. One of the lodge employees who had checked in Jameel had noticed his NIC had an address in Kandy.
The couple who rented the adjacent room had arrived 20 minutes later. Jameel had left his rucksack and small suitcase in the room and stepped out ten minutes later. Mr. Wijelal claims that Jameel was constantly on his mobile phone when he left. He returned around 1 p.m.
“He had apparently walked past the reception with a smile on his face” said Mr. Wijelal quoting one of his employees. “We heard him lock the door and after about 8 minutes there was a hue explosion,” he added. The explosion killed Jameel and the couple in the adjacent room.
The Sunday Times learns that the Police have questioned some of his family members.
