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Lankans arrested in Gujarat over terrorism charges: India, Sri Lanka findings vary while university don warns of post-Easter Sunday failures

Published

10 months ago

2024/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Dr. Amarasinghe

‘We should ask India to hand them over to us’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The findings made by Indian and Sri Lankan security and intelligence authorities about the recent arrest of four Sri Lankans on the suspicion of being religious extremists are contradictory.

While Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad declared that the suspects had been involved with the Islamic State terror group, investigations conducted by Sri Lankan authorities claimed they weren’t linked to Islamic State or any other extremist group.

Even in the Easter Sunday carnage case it was India that repeatedly tipped off local law enforcers here of the impending threat. Despite being armed with such vital advance intelligence local law enforcers failed to prevent the terror strikes.

However, authorities here have acknowledged the possibility of them being used by religious extremists for some destructive purpose.

The suspects have been identified as Mohammad Nusrat (35), Mohammad Nafran (27), Mohammad Faris (35), and Mohammad Rashdeen (43). According to police Nufran (or Nafran) is the son of the first wife of Mohammed Niyas Nauffer alias Kudu Naufer, an underworld criminal who was sentenced to death for ordering the death of Colombo High Court judge Sarath Ambepitiya in 2004.

Following the arrests in Gujarat, police here took into custody six men, including Pushparaja Osman, 46, in Colombo a few days ago. Although the media described Osman as the handler of the men now held in Gujarat, a section of the Indian media earlier claimed that their handler was based in Pakistan.

Authoritative sources said that Sri Lanka and India have exchanged their findings regarding the arrests made at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel airport in Ahmedabad on 19 May. The four men had taken an Indigo flight from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to Chennai on 19 May. From there they had taken a domestic flight to Ahmedabad where they were arrested.

Sources said that the four persons who had been arrested in Gujarat and the six persons apprehended here subsequently could be categorised as drug peddlers, drug addicts and smugglers.

Immediately after India alerted Sri Lanka of the Gujarat arrests, police raided the homes of the four suspects but couldn’t find any incriminating evidence.

Sources said over the weekend that so far Sri Lankan investigators hadn’t received an opportunity to question the suspects held in Gujarat. “There is constant pressure as the current investigation is being conducted against the backdrop of still ongoing 2019 Easter Sunday probe. The arrests made during the final phase of Indian parliamentary polls naturally led to various possible theories,” a person familiar with such investigations said.

The Indian media quoted Gujarat Director General of Police Vikas Sahay as having said that the suspects told investigators that they had been earlier associated with the banned Sri Lankan radical militant outfit, National Thowheeth Jamaath (NJT), and joined IS after getting in touch with Pakistani handler Abu Bakr Al Bagdadi.

The NTJ has been blamed for Easter Sunday attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 270, including 11 Indians.

The Indian High Commission spokesperson yesterday (3) said that they didn’t have any comment on the issue at the moment.

The ongoing local investigation took an unexpected turn when the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Dr. Punsara Amarasinghe on May 29 over his high profile declaration of the arrested persons’ direct involvement with religious extremism. The controversial comments were made during an interview with Dilan Mayadune on ‘Rathu Miniththuwa’ on Hiru. Dr. Amarasinghe was granted bail on the same day.

The lecturer attached to the Kotelawela Defence University (KDU) declared that all four arrested in Gujarat had been identified as radicalised youth following the Easter Sunday investigations. According to the academic, they had been among 300 to 400 persons so categorised though local authorities never found anything to link them to terrorism. The academic declared a direct link between the arrested and the NTJ.

Mayadunne told The Island that they had interviewed Dr. Amarasinghe on the issue as he was a much respected authority on the subject. Of the four arrested in Gujarat, two had been to India on 38 and 40 occasions whereas two were there for the first time, Dr. Amarasinghe said, while describing them as ordinary people.

Responding to a spate of questions posed by Hiru journalist, Dr. Amarasinghe found fault with the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government for lifting restrictions imposed on religious extremism last year while blaming governments that came to power post-Easter Sunday carnage for their failure to implement a proper rehabilitation programme. Dr. Amarasinghe alleged that instead, those who had been held and under rehabilitation, including a person (he named though we refrain from doing so) who encouraged religious extremism. Referring to that particular person, Dr. Amarasinghe questioned the failure on the part of relevant authorities to arrest him though been alerted by Indian authorities in early 2018.

Dr. Amarasinghe alleged that in spite of devastating Easter Sunday carnage, political and security authorities had failed to adopt appropriate strategy to counter the still growing threat posed particularly by Islamic religious extremism.

Unless the government resorted to a proper action plan, attacks similar to Easter Sunday could happen again, Dr. Amarasinghe warned.

Comparing the measures taken by India in the wake of major terror attacks such as raid on Mumbai by Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Tayyib in Nov 2008, and post-Easter Sunday security measures here, Dr. Amatasinghe was of the opinion that Sri Lanka was yet to put in place cohesive action plan. The scholar pointed out that those who had been trying to cause mayhem in India couldn’t mount a single successful attack over the past five years due to strict vigilance on the part of India.

Dr. Amarasinghe didn’t mince his words when he declared that various interested parties constantly brought pressure on the government to go slow on those promoting religious extremism.

Referring to the unprecedented Oct 7 Hamas raid on Israel that resulted in the ongoing Gaza war, Dr. Amarasinghe said that consequences of major intelligence failures could be quite devastating. The KDU lecturer defended the Indian move to arrest the four Sri Lankans after they arrived in Ahmedabad via Chennai without alerting Sri Lankan authorities. India was responding to an immediate threat and in such a situation, wouldn’t have shared available intelligence with their counterparts for obvious reasons, Dr. Amarasinghe said, declaring that the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad’s response to the immediate threat posed by external elements was most appropriate.

The academic stressed the urgent need to enact efficient anti-terrorism law as part of the overall measures to counter the worldwide threat posed by religious extremists. He said that the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) introduced in 1979 was insufficient to meet the threat, whereas India had protected its interests with a slew of laws enacted over a period of time.

Pointing out that Counter Terrorism legislation was still in its draft stage, Dr. Amarasinghe expressed concern how the parliament handled the enactment of the new law.

Dr. Amarasinghe alleged that even five years after the Easter Sunday carnage, the religious extremism was on the march here un-checked, hence the responsibility on the part of the powers that be to take tangible measures without delay. Urging the government to keep Madrasa Islamic schools under close watch, Dr. Amarasinghe stressed the pivotal importance of maintaining links and sustaining close cooperation with Indian intelligence services. The academic explained how the negligence on the part of Sri Lanka led to the Easter Sunday carnage four years after the disclosure of a person reaching Syria via Turkey in 2015.

Dr. Amarasinghe said that Sri Lanka should ask India to hand over the suspects to Colombo. He called for a genuine effort to neutralise those who had been in touch with the four arrested in Gujarat and those who facilitated them to reach Ahmedabad.

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Breakaway JVP faction decries Indo-Lanka MoUs as betrayal

Published

10 hours ago

2025/04/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Pubudu

… alleges Kanchana’s Electricity Act exploited to facilitate ‘deal’ with India

The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has alleged that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake entered into seven MoUs/Agreements with India without consulting Parliament or the Cabinet of Ministers.

Accusing President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is the leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), as well as the National People’s Power (NPP), of undermining Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, the breakaway JVP faction pointed out the signing of seven MoUs/Agreements had coincided with the 54th anniversary of the JVP’s first insurrection.

The top FSP spokesman and their Education Secretary, Pubudu Jayagoda, told a press conference, at their Nugegoda party office, that the JVP had completely betrayed those who sacrificed their lives during the 1971 and 1987-1990 insurrections. Having completely changed its policy towards India, the JVP was now down on its knees before India, Jayagoda said.

The dissident JVPer emphasised that such vital MoUs/Agreements couldn’t be finalised without proper consultations. Declaring that the MoUs/Agreements hadn’t been released yet, Jayagoda said that the FSP, in terms of the Right to Information Act, sought the copies of them as the public couldn’t be deprived of their right to know.

The section, now calling themselves FSP, split from the JVP in early 2012 after major differences among the top leadership over the direction of the party. Anura Kumara Dissanayake succeeded Somawansa Amarasinghe as the JVP leader in Dec. 2014.

Referring to the MoU, in respect of the implementation of HVDC interconnection for import/export of power, Jayagoda said that the NPP took advantage of the new Electricity Act that was enforced by the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government in late June last year to pave the way for a deal with India. The JVP-led NPP that moved court against the then Power Minister Kanchana Wijesekera’s Bill, and voted against the Bill at the second reading, exploited the same to its advantage, Jayagoda charged.

The Sri Lanka Electricity Bill repealed the 1969 Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Act and subsequent laws regarding the electricity industry.

Comparing the MoU, signed in the presence of President Dissanayake and Premier Narendra Modi, Jayagoda said that both Nepal and Bangladesh had been trapped in similar agreements they signed earlier.

Jayagoda alleged that Nepal was in such a pathetic situation even if they could meet electricity requirement through hydro-power generation, the agreement with India compelled them to obtain power from India.

Jayagoda pointed out that the government now boasted of a proposed new120 MW solar power plant at Sampur to be implemented in two stages after having crippled domestic solar power generation capacity. The former JVPer said that the NPP government was bending backwards to appease India and pursuing an agenda inimical to Sri Lanka.

Jayagoda dealt with the MoU on cooperation in the field of sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale for digital transformation. The FSP spokesman said that the Indian-funded project to issue digital NIC would be disastrous as it would enable India to gather information.

Commenting on a MoU that covered the health sector, Jayagoda alleged that the government had agreed to share authority exercised by the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA) with India.

Jayagoda said that the MoU on defence cooperation undermined the country’s vital security interests and jeopardised relations with other countries.

The FSP said that political parties, represented in Parliament, were largely silent and seemed to be reluctant at least to express their views on the betrayal of the country.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

News

Adani’s Colombo Terminal commences operations

Published

10 hours ago

2025/04/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

A bulk carrier at the newly operational Colombo West terminal(pic courtesy Adani group)

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ), India’s largest integrated transport utility, has announced the commencement of operations at the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), located at the Port of Colombo, the company said in a statement issued simultaneously in Ahmedabad and Colombo yesterday (07)

Developed under a landmark public–private partnership, CWIT is operated by a consortium comprising India’s largest port operator Adani Ports & SEZ Ltd., leading Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings PLC, and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, under a 35-year Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) agreement.

The CWIT project represents a significant investment of USD 800 million and features a 1,400-metre long quay and 20-metre depth, enabling the terminal to handle approximately 3.2 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually. It is the first deep-water terminal in Colombo to be fully automated, designed to enhance cargo handling capabilities, improve vessel turnaround times and elevate the port’s status as a key transshipment hub in South Asia.

Construction began in early 2022 and has since achieved rapid progress. With the installation of cutting-edge infrastructure now nearing completion, CWIT is poised to set new benchmarks in operational efficiency and reliability in regional maritime logistics.

“The commencement of operations at CWIT marks a momentous milestone in regional cooperation between India and Sri Lanka,” said Chairman of the Adani Group Gautam Adani. “Not only does this terminal represent the future of trade in the Indian Ocean but its opening is also a proud moment for Sri Lanka, placing it firmly on the global maritime map. The CWIT project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs locally and unlock immense economic value for the island nation. It also stands as a shining example of the deep-rooted friendship and growing strategic ties between the two neighbours, and of what can be achieved through visionary public–private partnerships. Delivering this world-class facility in record time also reflects the Adani Group’s proven ability to efficiently execute large-scale critical infrastructure projects anywhere in the world.”

“We are proud to see the progress in the development of the West Container Terminal, a project that strengthens Sri Lanka’s position as a regional maritime hub,” said Chairperson, John Keells Group Krishan Balendra. “This project is one of the John Keells Group’s largest investments and is among the most significant private-sector investments in Sri Lanka. Together with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Adani Group, we will elevate Colombo’s status as a leading transshipment hub. We are confident that the project will enhance global trade and connectivity in the region”, he said.

News

SLIC Life reports robust performance with Rs. 30.7 Billion PBT in 2024

Published

10 hours ago

2025/04/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Nusith Kumaratunga (L) / Chandana L. Aluthgama (R)

Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Life Limited (SLICLL) has concluded the year 2024 with outstanding financial performance, achieving a remarkable profit before taxation of Rs. 30.7 billion. The text of SLIC statement: “The company recorded a robust Gross Written Premium (GWP) of Rs. 26.3 billion, reflecting an impressive 25% growth. Remarkably, as of December 31, 2024, Sri Lanka Insurance Life marked a historic milestone with a New Business volume of Rs. 5.3 billion, recording a 48% growth, the highest in the company’s history.

Demonstrating its unwavering commitment to policyholders, Sri Lanka Insurance Life disbursed Rs. 13.7 billion in maturity settlements and claim payments in 2024, these figures reaffirm the company’s financial strength and dedication to fulfilling its obligations. Further cementing its position as a market leader, SLICLL continued to expand its asset base to an impressive Rs. 237 billion and grew its Life Fund to Rs. 213.2 billion. These achievements were realised amidst organizational transformations and challenging economic conditions. Additionally, the company recorded 319 MDRT qualifiers, the highest ever for SLIC Life.

Highlighting its prudent investment strategies and unwavering commitment to policyholders, Sri Lanka Insurance Life declared the largest Life Insurance bonus in the industry for 2023, amounting to Rs. 11.2 billion. Over the past two decades, the company has consistently delivered industry-leading bonus payouts, with cumulative declarations exceeding Rs. 104 billion. Continuing this legacy, Sri Lanka Insurance Life is set to declare its highest ever bonus for 2024, with official communication to be released in the near future.

Group Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Insurance, Mr. Chandana L. Aluthgama, stated, “Our exceptional financial performance is a testament to the dedication and resilience of our team, who have navigated challenges with unwavering commitment. Despite economic fluctuations and internal transformations, our strategic focus has reinforced our market leadership. As we step into the future, we remain committed to innovation, customer trust, and industry leadership.”

Chairman of Sri Lanka Insurance, Mr. Nusith Kumaratunga, emphasized, “Sri Lanka Insurance Life has proven its strength and stability, delivering sustainable growth while reinforcing its role in the nation’s economic progress. Our vision extends beyond business success, we aim to contribute to national development by strengthening the economy and reducing dependency of the people on state support.”

Beyond financial success, Sri Lanka Insurance Life continued to earn industry recognition in 2024. The company was named ‘The Most Loved Life Insurance Brand’ by LMD for the seventh consecutive year and was ranked among the ‘Top 100 Most Valuable Brands’ in Sri Lanka by LMD Brand Finance. Additionally, SLIC Life secured top honors at the ‘Best Management Practices Company Awards 2024,’ ranking among the top ten companies and winning the ‘Insurance – Public Sector Company’ category.

Committed to international standards and operational excellence, Sri Lanka Insurance Life maintains ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 27001:2013, and ISO 14064-1:2018 certifications. The company also continues its social impact initiatives, including the free Life Insurance cover gifted to parents of newborns on World Children’s Day for the third consecutive year, supported 1100 families in flood affected areas, providing emergency assistance to pilgrims traveling to Anuradhapura for Poson Poya and the awarding of 370 Suba Pathum scholarships to outstanding students in national examinations.

Looking ahead, Sri Lanka Insurance Life remains focused on driving innovation, enhancing customer confidence, and making meaningful contributions to society. With a solid foundation and a clear vision, the company is poised to maintain its legacy of excellence and leadership in the insurance industry.