Maldivian among six arrested for Arugam Bay security scare

By Norman Palihawadane

Six persons, including a Maldivian national, had been arrested in connection with the security scare in Arugam Bay, Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath said.The Minister said the arrests had been made on the basis of information received over potential attacks in the Arugam Bay area, as well as incidents involving the photographing of economic nerve centres in Colombo.

“So far, we have arrested six individuals. A Maldivian and five Sri Lankans are in custody and investigations are proceeding.

The Male-based Mihaaru News yesterday said that the Maldivian now in custody on charges of attempting to make a terrorist attack at Arugam Bay had been accused of planning to murder another Maldivian gang leader currently living in Sri Lanka.

The Mihaaru News report said: Bilal Mohamed, child of a Maldivian man and a Sri Lankan woman, was arrested on October 24 under a case being investigated by Sri Lanka’s Terrorism Investigation Division (TID). Bilal holds dual citizenship.

Sri Lankan media earlier reported that Bilal was arrested for planning an attack on Chabad House in Arugam Bay, an establishment run there by some Israelis, and a hotspot for Israeli tourists. Clashes between Israeli visitors to Chabad House and Muslim residents of Arugam Bay have been rising, according to reports. India’s Intelligence Agency then informed Sri Lankan Police of the planned attack.

However, Mihaaru News reports that they have learned that Bilal is also accused of planning to shoot and kill a Maldivian gang leader who is currently in Sri Lanka.

Mihaaru contacted Sri Lankan Police Spokesperson Nihal Taldu, who confirmed that a Maldivian has been arrested, but said that no further details can be disclosed.

The intended victim, however, was summoned to the Police station, where he was warned of the attack. Details of relevant text messages and financial transactions were also shared with him.

Back in 2015, Bilal had been arrested by Sri Lankan police in the murder of Maldivian Hussain Razeen (Rabarey). The charges raised in the trial conducted in Maldives in this case, it was said that Bilal had committed the murder after receiving payment from persons in Maldives.

One of the accused in the case had met with Bilal ahead of Razeen’s murder and given him money. Once Bilal had sent a photo of Razeen’s body placed in his van after the murder, he had been given additional money, the charges said.

Sri Lankan Police, who investigated the case, said that Razeen had been murdered by paying the killers 140 million Sri Lankan rupees. They said that the murder had been funded by a Maldivian businessman, who wanted to take revenge for the murder of a relative.