News
Ex-STF chief makes U-turn
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Former Commandant of the STF, Senior DIG (Retd.) M.R. Latheef earlier told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks that he heard about the National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) and its leader Zahran Hashim only after the Easter Sunday attacks, but yesterday he admitted he had been aware of Zahran and the NTJ even before the attacks.
Earlier a Commissioner asked the witness if STF’s Kattankudy office had not bee aware of NTJ and Zahran before the Easter Sunday attacks.
SDIG Latheef said the STF intelligence agents were not geared to uncover intelligence information on national security. They had been established to work on intelligence provided by other agencies and how best to use such intelligence.
Chairman of the PCoI then asked the witness if STF intelligence officers had never reported on Zahran and the NTJ. Latheef said no intelligence information had been provided by STF agents.
Commissioners directed Latheef’s attention to a report sent by the STF intelligence officers to the Commanding Officer of the Kalawanchikudi STF camp on 24 March, 2018. This report referred to Zahran and the NTJ and Latheef acknowledged that the report referred to NTJ and Zahran.
Latheef was also shown STF intelligence reports and he admitted that those reports too had referred to Zahran and his activities.
“Did the Secretary of the Commission ask you to submit documents on the religious extremism that were available at STF?” Chairman of the Commission asked the witness.
“I was instructed,” SDIG Latheef said.
Commissioners: “Why didn’t you include STF reports on Zahran and the NTJ in the documents you submitted to the Commission?”
SDIG Latheef: “I don’t know if the documents you have were received by the STF headquarters. Can you please request a report on this from the STF headquarters? These three reports were sent to STF regional camps. It should be checked whether they were referred to the headquarters and it should be ascertained whether any officer at the headquarters had inquired into it.”
The Commissioners also questioned the witness on the transfer of five intelligence officers attached to the STF camp at Arugambay and Kalawanchikudi between February 2017 and October 2018. Latheef said he had to look at the relevant documents before answering the question.
The Commissioners then asked Latheef if his earlier statement to the PCoI, i.e. that he had never known about Zahran before 4 April, 2019, was true, Latheef said that he had been aware of NTJ through certain electronic and print media reports before the Easter Sunday bombing.
He had also been made aware of Zahran during discussions held at the Police headquarters and during discussions with other senior police officers, he said.
The Commission then questioned him whether it could have been possible for him to take action on Zahran using the report of the SIS, warning of a possible terror attack.
Latheef said he had taken steps. “For example, I beefed up security at the Indian High Commission as the information indicated that it could be a target of attackers.”
Considering SDIG Latheef’s evidence before the Commission, yesterday, the Commission observed that it was appropriate to give him the opportunity to appear before the Commission with the assistance of an Attorney-at-Law under Section 16 of the Commission Act and adjourned the hearing until 10 October.
Parliament yesterday passed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with two-thirds majorities, with 158 MPs voting in favour and 63 against each Bill.
The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) voted with the SJB against the Bills.
NDF MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha and SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka were not present when the votes were taken.
The final vote on the Judicature (Amendment) Bill was announced at around 8.08 p.m. after Opposition MPs called for divisions on its clauses during the Committee Stage.
The votes followed a two-day debate which commenced on Thursday (24), after Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Bills for their Second Reading.
The Supreme Court’s determination on the Bills was presented to Parliament on Tuesday (22) by Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne. The Court determined that the 22nd Amendment Bill did not require approval at a referendum and could be passed by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The amendment provides for raising the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and that of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. It also provides for the Chief Justice to retire at 67 or after completing six years in office, whichever comes earlier.
The Speaker informed Parliament that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill could be passed by a simple majority.
The SJB opposed the legislation and its MPs attended Parliament dressed in black yesterday. The party also staged a protest at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, under the theme “No to 22, which destroys democracy”, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB politicians participating.
A valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Certificate will be required for a range of key transactions in Sri Lanka from November 1, 2026, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced.
The requirement, introduced under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026, applies to transactions specified under Section 102(3) of the Inland Revenue Act.
Accordingly, individuals will be required to produce a valid TIN Certificate when opening an account at a bank or financial institution, obtaining approval for a building plan, registering or renewing the licence of a motor vehicle, registering land or title to land, registering a business, transferring shares in a company incorporated in Sri Lanka or obtaining a credit card.
In the case of share transfers, both the transferor and transferee will be required to provide TIN certificates.
The IRD said officials handling such transactions had been instructed to ensure that a valid TIN Certificate was submitted before processing or completing the relevant transaction.
The Department advised those who do not already have a TIN to obtain one in advance through its e-Services platform.
It said a printout of the TIN verification result showing the applicant’s National Identity Card number and TIN could also be accepted instead of the certificate.The IRD also reiterated that obtaining a TIN is mandatory for resident individuals aged 18 and above under the applicable provisions.
By Norman Palihawadane
The Sri Lanka Navy brought 25 Indonesian fishermen safely ashore at the Colombo Port on Thursday (24), following a multi-agency rescue operation after their fishing trawler capsized south of Sri Lanka.
The fishermen were aboard the Indonesian-flagged fishing trawler KM Garuda Jaya VI, which capsized on September 22 while in the Australian Search and Rescue Region, leaving the crew in distress at sea.
The merchant vessel MV Moonstone responded to the distress situation and rescued all 25 fishermen from the sea. The vessel subsequently alerted the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo about the incident and the rescued crew.
Following the distress alert, the Navy coordinated with MRCC Colombo and deployed two naval craft to bring the survivors safely to shore, with the assistance of relevant authorities.
The 25 fishermen were transferred to the Colombo Port, where they were provided with humanitarian assistance by the Navy.They were subsequently handed over to the Indonesian Embassy in Sri Lanka for further arrangements and onward action.
22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority
TIN mandatory for key transactions from Nov. 1
Navy brings 25 Indonesian fishermen ashore after trawler capsizes
Former Mineral Sands Chairman arrested over recruitment irregularities
Sarana Gunawardena’s wife remanded over alleged bribe
High Posts Committee approves envoy, High Commissioner and SLIC Chairman
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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