News
Hashim had phone conversation with suicide bomber’s brother two days prior to carnage, PCoI told
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Former minister Kabir Hashim had had a telephone conversation, two days before the Easter Sunday attacks, with Abdul Latheef Hakeem Mohamed, brother of Abdul Latheef Jameel Mohamed, who blew himself up at Tropical Inn lodge, in Dehiwala, the Attorney General’s Department revealed, on Thursday, before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.
The call had lasted for 147 seconds, the AG’s representative said.
The Senior State Counsel (SSC), who led evidence asked the witness Kabir Hashim whether he had received a call from one of the suicide bombers two days before the attack.
“I was summoned to the CID in December 2019 and I was told I had received a 147-second call from a man named Hakeem two days before the Easter attack. At that point I said I did not remember. I was then told Hakeem was the brother of the man who blew himself up at Tropical Inn lodge in Dehiwala.”
However, Hashim said that he did not remember receiving such a phone call. The Commission also drew his attention to the vandalising of Buddha statues in Mawanella area during the period December 23 to 26, 2018 and the attempt to kill his Coordinating Secretary, Mohammad Tasleem in early 2019. Tasleem had tipped off investigating officers about extremists and it was with his information that CID discovered explosives at the Jihadist training camp in Wanathawilluwa.
Hashim said that he had got Tasleem to assist the CID in its investigations into Islamic extremism.
“Only people who knew that Tasleem was helping in the investigations were CID officers and I. However someone shot Thasleem after the Wanathawilluwa operation and I informed the Cabinet of ministers of this. I also pointed out that it was a threat to my life as well.”
Former President Maithripala Sirisena had then informed Hashim that he would be invited to the National Security Council (NSC) one day, because it was important for national security.
“However I was not invited to the NSC,” Hashim said.
A group of Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) members, including its Leader Mano Ganesan, met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday (02) morning at the Presidential Secretariat.
Extensive discussions were held on the issues faced by the Malayagam communities, particularly in relation to education, housing and land, as well as on the urgent measures required to address these concerns. The President paid special attention to all these matters.
Attention was also drawn to the recruitment of qualified Tamil-medium teachers to address the teacher shortage in estate sector schools and this too was discussed at length.
Members of Parliament P. Digambaram and V. Radhakrishnan, along with several other party members, were present at the meeting.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath, held talks with Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Andrey Rudenko at the Foreign Ministry, in Colombo, on Thursday (02), with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.
The Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visiting Russian Deputy Minister noted that Russia regarded Sri Lanka as a long-standing friend.
Rudenko assured that Russia stood ready to support Sri Lanka when required, including in the swift supply of Russian oil to help address the current energy challenges, encouraging Russian investors to explore new opportunities in the country and promoting increased tourist arrivals.
He also expressed Russia’s readiness to provide compensation for Sri Lankan war veterans who had lost their lives in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Minister Herath welcomed Russia’s willingness to assist, emphasising that Sri Lanka valued the support extended by its “old friend”, particularly at a time when the country was facing pressing energy needs.
He noted that the two countries shared nearly seven decades of diplomatic relations and said the present moment provided an opportunity to further strengthen ties, including through long-term trade agreements.
The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of energy, investment, tourism and diplomacy, with both sides reiterating their commitment to further deepen the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Russia.
Police yesterday arrested 157 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged organised online financial scam, conducted from a hotel in the Iranawila area in Chilaw.
The suspects were taken into custody during a raid carried out by the Police while they were staying at the hotel in Iranawila.
Police said the arrested group included 143 nationals from China, 13 from Bangladesh and one from Vietnam.
Investigators suspect the group had been involved in a coordinated online financial scam, targeting victims through digital platforms.
The suspects are being detained for further questioning while investigations are continuing to determine the full extent of the operation and whether additional individuals were involved.Police said further inquiries are underway.
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