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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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UPDATE: Flash flood on Nepal-Tibet border kills more than 100, with hundreds of tourists missing

Published

5 hours ago

2026/08/26

Priyan

More than 100 people have been killed in Nepal and Tibet, and hundreds of tourists are missing, after a massive flash flood and mudslide

The missing tourists include more than 100 from India, 54 from the US, and 33 from the UK, as well as more than 100 from Nepal itself, according to Nepal’s tourist board. The area is popular with pilgrims and trekker.

Dozens of police officers and army prtxonnel are also missing, as well as power workers. My family was swept away in front of me, one woman tells us – she and her son survived by climbing to a rooftop

In Tibet, Chinese state media report three dead and 265 missing, CCTV from Tibet shows a wall of water and mud hitting buildings at a border crossing.

Authorities initially thought an earthquake may have triggered a landslide – the US Geological Survey now says the sesimic energy was instead generated by a landslide.

(BBC)

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Advisory for High Waves for the sea areas extending from Colombo to Pottuvil via Galle, Matara and Hambantota

Published

10 hours ago

2026/08/26

Priyan

Advisory for High Waves
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre Issued at 03.30 p.m. on 26 August 2026 Valid for the period until 03.30 p.m. 27 August 2026

An advisory for high waves has been issued for the sea areas extending from Colombo to Pottuvil via Galle, Matara and Hambantota and naval and fishing communities engaged in activities in the aforementioned sea areas, as well as coastal communities living in the aforementioned nearshore areas, are advised to remain vigilant in this regard

The swell waves (about 2.0 m – 3.0 m) height (This is not for land area) may increase in the sea areas off the coast extending from Colombo to Pottuvil via Galle, Matara and Hambantota. There is a possibility that near shore sea areas off the coast extending from Beruwala to Matara via Galle, may experience surges due to swell waves.

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We must create social awareness to ensure the physical and mental well-being of children with disabilities – PM

Published

12 hours ago

2026/08/26

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that, given their particular vulnerability children with disabilities require protection, and stressed the need to foster social awareness to protect them from negative social influences while promoting their physical and mental well-being. She emphasized the need to implement awareness programmes for parents, teachers and other members of society towards this end.

The Prime Minister made these remarks on Tuesday [August 25] while visiting and observing the National Institute of Special and Inclusive Education – Shishyodaya, located in Veniwelkola.

The purpose of the Prime Minister’s visit was to observe the institutional structure and gain an understanding of the areas that require further development.

The Prime Minister emphasized that a systematic mechanism should be established to transform the institution, which was established in 2019 outside the basic standards and plans for Inclusive Education, into an institution that provides quality education to children and fulfills the targeted objectives of inclusive education. She also proposed appointing a special committee to make the necessary recommendations in this regard.

The Prime Minister further stated that steps would be taken in coordination with the Ministry of Health to address the shortage of therapists and medical professionals required to provide clinical services to students at the institution. She also stressed that the maintenance of equipment and buildings should be carried out properly using the financial allocations provided for such purposes.

The Prime Minister further noted that finding sustainable solutions to the issues faced by the institution is essential, while immediate interventions should be made to address issues that can be resolved without delay. The welfare of the teachers serving at the institution was also discussed during the visit.

Member of Parliament Anura Panagoda, Chairman of the Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha Kasun Rathnayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, ministry officials, parents and students were present.