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Rishad, Army Chief clarify matters over phone calls
Army Commander Lt.General Mahesh Senanayake and Former Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen testifying at the PSC . Pix by Ishanka Sunimal
Former Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake were among those who gave evidence this week before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.
Less than 15 minutes of the Army Commander’s testimony was made in the presence of the media. The rest of his evidence was recorded on camera due to its sensitive nature.
In contrast, former Minister Bathiudeen was questioned for almost two hours by PSC members in front of the media. Much of the questions centred on allegations linking Mr Bathiudeen to terrorism — a charge found in the No-Confidence Motion submitted against him in Parliament.
Industrial Development Board (IDB) Director General P.L.U. Rathnamalala, Industry and Commerce, Ministry Secretary Ranjith Asoka, Secretary, National Police Commission Secretary D.M. Samansiri Dissanayake and former Muslim Affairs Minister Abdul Haleem’s brother M.H. Fahim were among the other witnesses who gave evidence this week.
Mr Rathnamalala and Mr Asoka gave evidence regarding the issue of scrap iron and copper to the Wellampitiya factory of Colossus (Pvt) Ltd, owned by Yusuf Mohamed Ibrahim. Two of Mr Ibrahim’s sons were among the suicide bombers who took part in the Easter Sunday attacks. Mr Fahim came before the PSC to respond to allegations made against him by former Western Province Governor Azath Salley.
Army Commander Lt.General Mahesh Senanayake:
After the attacks on April 21, the Sri Lanka Army became involved in conducting security operations. We conducted cordon-and-search operations and also carried out arrests. While this was ongoing, on April 26, an individual named Ishan Ahmed was arrested from Dehiwala.
Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce K.D.N. Ranjith Asoka
I know several MPs personally in my capacity as Army Commander, including Minister Bathiudeen and they also know my number.
Minister Bathiudeen called me to inquire whether we had arrested a person by this name. At the time, I did not know if such a person had been arrested. I told the minister that I did not know but that I would look into it and let him know. He called me a second time but I had still not been able to get any information on the individual. By the time he called a third time, I had got to know from our intelligence agency that this person had been in custody and that he was connected to this network. I told the minister then that such a person was indeed in custody but that he should give me a call again in one-and-half years. It was a cordial conversation.
I spoke of the one-and-half year time frame as the process involved handing over a suspect to the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) within 24 hours of the arrest and I know that such a suspect can be held for up to one-and-half years while investigations are ongoing.
Minister Bathiudeen never pressurised me at any point. He only inquired from me about this individual. He told me one time that this individual was the son of an official who worked under him and requested me to see what could be done. No one has pressurised me until now.
We are now faced with an international terrorist threat and are fighting an unseen enemy. This is a different fight. We have contained the immediate threat, but we can’t say that it is finished.
There is now better coordination between the tri-forces and Police. We have also received support from intelligence agencies of neighbouring countries. We are moving towards building an integrated intelligence network.
We have neutralised the immediate threat of an attack, but we can’t say that the threat is completely finished. That is not practical. We are still monitoring the activities of LTTE remnants even 10 years after their defeat. There is the possibility of lone wolf attacks. They don’t have to use explosives, but can use any number of methods such as a vehicle, knives, fire or even water.”
Former Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen:
“A no-confidence motion was presented against me in Parliament. It contained 10 serious charges and alleged that I had links to the terrorists. As such, I requested to voluntarily come before this Committee to respond to these allegations. I have also sent my responses to these charges in writing to the PSC.
M. H. Fahim
Through the media, the police requested those who wanted to lodge complaints regarding my alleged links to terrorism to do so within two weeks. Some people, including several MPs, complained.
I wish to stress here that I have never met Zahran. It was only after this incident that I learned about him and saw his photograph in the media. I have no connection to the terrorists and I am of the view that all those who are connected to them must be severely punished.
When this dastardly attack occurred, all Muslim representatives, including myself, visited the Cardinal and offered our condolences. We condemned this heinous terrorist act. Our community has been steadfast in giving its support to the authorities to eradicate this menace.
Though the terrorists who carried out these attacks had Islamic names, we don’t consider them to be Muslims. Nowhere in Islam, have the Muslims been urged to carry out suicide bombings or kill non-Muslims.
The allegations against me are being driven by two Opposition MPs who actively sought my support during the 52-day coup. They are spreading these allegations as I rejected their request. I waited for them to take these allegations to police since they are serious in nature. But, they never complained to police. However, I went and lodged a complaint with police against MPs S.B. Dissanayake and Wimal Weerawansa for making false allegations against me.
I called the Army Commander on April 26 after I was contacted by an individual who said that his son had been taken away by an unidentified group. I know the father since 1990 when I was one of the 100,000 Muslim refugees who were settled in camps in Puttalam. He was the Commissioner General of Resettlement then. I asked him whether he went to the police. He told me he did, but was told by the OIC that his son was not there. The father lodged a police complaint. The father only wanted me to check if his son was alive. He did not want to have his son released. He said his son should be severely punished if he was involved in any terrorist activity.
I called the Army Commander after making several inquiries with police. If he had told me the son was indeed in custody, I would not have called him again. However, he said he would look into it and let me know. When I called a second time, he still did not have any information, but told me to send him the son’s details. By the time I took the third call, he said he was indeed in their custody, but would be handed over to the TID. I did not call the Army Commander after that on the same matter.
Director General of Industrial Development Board (IDB) P.L.U. Rathnamalala
I called the Army Commander again to convey a request by a Muslim religious leader in Negombo for additional security in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks. I also called the President and the State Defence Minister about this request.
I knew (spice businessman) Yusuf Mohamed Ibrahim in his capacity as President of the Colombo Traders’ Association while I was Minister of Commerce. He had come to the Ministry to attend meetings with other representatives of the association. He did not hold a post at my Ministry.
A Buddhist monk recently showed a photo to the media claiming that it showed me and Zahran, but the person in the photo is a Moulavi named Nisthar. He has now lodged a complaint with Police Headquarters over the issue.
Director General of Industrial Development Board (IDB) P.L.U. Rathnamalala
The IDB comes under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. We have a project where we collect ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal generated by Government institutions and distribute them at concessionary rates to local industrialists who are engaged in several industries.
We have stringent guidelines that should be followed when it comes to distributing the scrap metal. Due to the shortage of material, industrialists seek assistance from various quarters and send letters requesting that more material is release to them. We however, don’t entertain such requests as we are State officials and are governed by the guidelines issued to us and Government circulars.
We twice obtained empty brass artillery shells from the military and after crushing and processing them, distributed them to copper and brass product manufacturers.
The IDB has received letters from the President’s Office and Defence Ministry requesting us to facilitate the release of empty brass shells to Colossus Pvt Ltd (owned by Yusuf Mohamed Ibrahim). However, these are some of the many requests we receive on behalf of various industrialists.
Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce K.D.N. Ranjith Asoka
I was not influenced by anyone to release scrap iron and copper to Colossus (Pvt) Ltd. The company’s factory had the capacity to melt large stocks of iron and copper. That is why more material was released to it by the IDB.
The industrialists try and seek assistance from various quarters to secure more material for them due to the shortage. We even received a letter from the President’s Office, requesting the release 500MT of copper to Colossus (Pvt) Ltd. I don’t believe that can be termed as influence.
We checked on allegations levelled by an MP that Sathosa vehicles were used for terrorist activities and found the stories to be false. We were able to trace the vehicles mentioned using GPS technology.
After the attacks, I contacted the Defence Ministry, explaining the materials we have provided to this factory and also providing information on 25 foreign nationals for whom we had recommended visas to work at the factory. We wrote to the Defence Ministry asking them to let us know if any of the material we provided had been used in the making of the bombs used in the attacks, as alleged in some quarters. We are yet to receive a response.
M. H. Fahim:
I am here to respond to allegations levelled by (former Western Province Governor) Azath Salley while testifying before this Committee that I was instrumental in promoting extremism and helping to register extremist mosques.
The total number of mosques registered with the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs at present is 2,599. Of these, 80 mosques have been identified by the Department as Thowheed mosques. After 2015, a total 382 mosques have been registered and only six of them are identified as Thowheed mosques.
Of the 382 mosques registered after 2015, 100 are from the Kandy district. However, I must stress that most of these mosques aren’t new ones. They were registered after the Department carried out an awareness campaign for them to be registered.
The Department is currently conducting a survey to identify unregistered mosques. We believe more than 700 mosques are currently unregistered.
Registration of mosques is important as once they are registered, the Department has control over the mosques.
None of the organisations banned in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks was registered with the Department. I am not a member of any organisation and Azath Salley’s accusations were a total character assassination.
I believe Mr Salley is making these accusations as Minister Haleem refused to appoint him to the Hajj Committee due to various allegations regarding his conduct.
The PSC comprises Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri (Chairperson), Ravi Karunanayake, Dr Rajitha Senaratne, Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Rauff Hakeem, Prof Ashu Marasinghe, Dr Nalinda Jayathissa, M A Sumanthiran and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.
| PSC to reissue summons on Dayasiri | |
| The PSC will reissue summons to Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara to appear before it after he failed to turn up to give evidence on Friday. Mr Jayasekara had been issued summons to appear on Friday but was not present when his name was called to testify. Accordingly, PSC Chairperson, Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri said that the Committee will reissue summons to him. He stated that the SLFP General Secretary had been issued summons to testify over a statement he made to the media on June 18 this year that the suicide bomber who failed to detonate explosives at the Taj Samudra Hotel on Easter Sunday had not carried out the attack owing to the presence of some “highly connected people” at the hotel. “We wanted him to appear before the PSC to answer queries on this statement he made and what information he had on the matter,” Mr Kumarasiri stated. |
| No evidence against Rishad: Acting IGP | |
| The Acting Inspector General of Police has informed the Secretary General of Parliament that investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) thus far has found no evidence linking former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen with the Easter Sunday terror attack or any other terrorist activity, it was revealed at the PSC. PSC Chair, Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri read out the letter sent by the Acting IGP to the PSC on Friday. |