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Nuwara-Eliya Jihadist Training Camp: Police tried to silence informant

Published

6 years ago

2020/12/12

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Nuwara-Eliya Police, on two separate occasions, had attempted to silence a person who had given them a tip-off about a Jihadist training camp conducted by the National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) in May 2018, it was yesterday revealed at the PCoI investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.

NTJ leader Zahran Hashim and founder of NTJ Nawfer Moulavi had been present at the camp, the PCoI was told.

D. T. Illesinghe, a resident of Shanthipura, Nuwara-Eliya told the PCoI that a group of people had arrived at Thakhila Holiday Inn, adjacent to his house, on May 05, 2018, in four white vans. Unlike other tourists the group had never left the place and even at night they had kept the lights off, save one.

“I felt suspicious. The hotel is owned by a businessman who operates shops in the Manning Market. The keeper is a guy named Ranga. I spoke to Ranga’s wife and she too said that the group was suspicious. Since I speak Tamil she asked me to check up on them. I entered the Inn at around 6.30 am under the pretext of collecting flowers. When I was going around the house, I overheard a conversation. One person said “It’s not safe to keep the money and weapons here. We should take them back to Kattankudy.” In response a guy named Abdullah said it was not safe to transport weapons.”

Illesinghe said that upon overhearing the conversation, he had called 119 but there had been no answer. Then he called Sergeant Sunil attached to the Nuwara-Eliya Police Station. Since he too didn’t pick up, he called the OIC of the station.

Illesinghe said: “He too didn’t pick up. It was around 8 am. I then decided to call then IGP Pujith Jayasundara. I took down IGP’s contact number shown during a television programme telecast earlier. The IGP picked up and when I told him that there were suspicious people, he gave me SP Mahinda Dissanayake’s number. I called the SP and he said he would inform Nuwara Eliya Police.”

The witness said that the Nuwara Eliya police had called him 30 minutes later and claimed they would come soon. But since the police didn’t turn up by 12.30 pm, Illesinghe called Dissanayake again. “He told me that Nuwara Eliya police would come soon. Then at around 4.30 pm a single police car came. A few minutes before that three vans left the holiday inn. I saw one policeman getting out and going in. I was doing some work and I went to meet the police. But they were leaving by the time I reached my gate. The police were there for only about 15 minutes.”

However after the Easter Sunday attacks, the Nuwara Eliya policemen had come to see him, Illesinghe said. A few days after the attacks, SI Indrajith and two others, carrying weapons, had come to see him. Indrajith had told Illesinghe that his tip-off was right and that the police was too slow.

Illesinghe said: “SI Indrajith said when he went into the Inn, there was Rs million rupees on the floor and a parcel of ganja. I asked him why he had not arrest them for having ganja. SI Indrajith said I shouldn’t bring the matter up because ISIS would come and kill me. I said ISIS won’t, but the Police might.”

The witness said that investigators from various agencies had visited him. Later, he was called for a meeting with various police officers. During the meeting Sergeant Sunil attached to the Nuwara Eliya Police Station asked Illesinghe to be careful and that he should not talk about this to others.

Earlier an Officer attached to PCoI police unit, SI Sanjeewa Sampath of CID told the PCoI that NTJ members, including its leader Zahran Hashim, who had taken part in a Jihadist training camp in Nuwara Eliya, on May 8, 2018, had escaped due to the inaction of the Nuwara Eliya Police.

SI Sampath also said that during their inquiry they had found that Zahran had conducted preaching related to Islamic extremism and his associates had trained the cadres to handle weapons and manufacture bombs.

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Record 1,600 students take Russian Classical Ballet examination in Sri Lanka

Published

8 hours ago

2026/10/18

Priyan

More than 1,600 students sat this year’s Russian Classical Ballet Examination, the largest number ever to take part in the examination in Sri Lanka. Exams were held in Colombo from 5, to 18, October and in Galle on 10 October.

Students aged four and above came from across the island, including Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Negombo, Matara, Kelaniya, Panadura, Wattala, Kiribathgoda, Ratnapura, Kandy, Kurunegala, Bandarawela and Badulla. They are taught by 15 dedicated teachers trained in the Vaganova method, the renowned Russian system of classical ballet training.

They were examined by Dr. Oxana Karnovich of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, a distinguished academic and curator.

The Russian School of Ballet and Dancing was established in 2001 by Michael Ustinov, Buddhapriya Ramanayake and Mrs Chandi Aluvihare, with Mrs Galina Pleshakova as its founding instructor. Today the School is led by Director Madam Maria Popova, Counsellor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka.

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Buddhist hierarchy demands prison perks for monk convicts

Published

14 hours ago

2026/10/18

Thilina Walpola

MONETABRIEF– Sri Lanka’s two most senior Buddhist chapters, Malwatte and Asgiriya, demanded special concessions for monks serving prison sentences, following the disrobing of convicted monk Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara in line with established procedures.

The chief prelate of the Asgiriya chapter, Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana, told Prisons Commissioner Senaka Palletenna that Ven. Gnanasara, who is serving a six-year sentence for contempt of court, must be released immediately.

Prison authorities have no power to release or pardon convicts, but Palletenna told the monk in Kandy on Friday that he would convey his request to the relevant government authorities.

“There is no point in talking about this and that… The entire country has been shaken (??????? ) . He must be released,” the Asgiriya chief prelate said.

The Malwatte chief prelate, Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala, appeared to accept the court verdict against Ven. Gnanasara, but asked the prisons chief whether a separate section could be established for convicted monks.

Palletenna noted that a special ward for the clergy already existed at Welikada Prison.

At least 63 convicted Buddhist monks are currently incarcerated within Sri Lanka’s criminal justice system.

Meanwhile, a group of 34 Buddhist monks named in a Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court order to vacate the vicinity of the Presidential Secretariat ended their protest and dispersed after lunch on Friday.The monks are demanding an unconditional pardon for Ven. Gnanasara, who has previously been imprisoned, making him a reconvicted prisoner.

News

Debate on NCM against Speaker postponed indefinitely

Published

14 hours ago

2026/10/18

Thilina Walpola

The debate on the no-confidence motion against Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, submitted by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has been postponed indefinitely pending the Attorney General’s opinion on certain technical issues in the motion.

Government representatives raised the matter at a meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business, pointing out that several provisions of the motion required clarification and that the Attorney General’s advice should be obtained.

As obtaining the opinion would take time, the debate could not be scheduled for the next parliamentary week, parliamentary sources said.

Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunatilaka said a date for the debate would be decided after the Attorney General’s advice was received.

Meanwhile, Parliament is scheduled to meet from October 20 to 23, Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera announced.

The parliamentary business for the week was finalised at a meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held on Friday (16) under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih.

On each sitting day, the period from 9.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. will be allocated for parliamentary business under Items 1 to 6 of Standing Order 22. Questions for Oral Answers will be taken up from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by questions under Standing Order 27(2) from 11 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.

On Tuesday, October 20, an Opposition-sponsored Adjournment Motion will be debated from 11.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

On Wednesday, October 21, a resolution under the Public Debt Management Act and a Supplementary Estimate will be taken up for debate and approval from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The annual reports of five statutory institutions will subsequently be presented for approval without debate, while questions at the Adjournment Time will be taken up from 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

On Thursday, October 22, the Second Reading debates on two Bills to amend the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Bills Nos. 79 and 80) will be held from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The annual reports of five statutory institutions will then be taken up for approval without debate, followed by an Opposition-sponsored Adjournment Motion from 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

On Friday, October 23, the Second Reading debate on the Elimination of Rabies and Registration of Dogs Bill will be held from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Government-sponsored Adjournment Motion will be debated during the final half-hour of the sitting.