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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.
Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Rathnayake says that the Election Commission has received 5214 complaints from 31st July 2024 to 19th September 2024 with regard to the 2024 Presidential Election. Of these, 4680 have been inquired into.
The number of complaints received during the 24 hours ending at 44.30pm on 19th September 2024 is 269 of which 267 are in respect to violation of election laws.
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Taking photographs and filming polling related activities and uploading them on social media platforms constitute as violations of election laws – Election Commission
Chairman of the Election Commission R M A T Rathnayake has announced that taking photographs, filming polling related activities, and uploading them on social media platforms constitute as violations of election laws and requests all social media account holders and administrators to refrain from doing so.
o
By A.A. Pemasiri
Nine government officers who promoted presidential candidates in violation of the Establishment Code have been removed from election duties, according to Hambantota District Returning Officer, H.P. Sumanasiri. Contacted for comment, he said they were part of a group of 19 officers currently under investigation for the same offence.
Among the errant officials were three doctors, one public health inspector, nine principals, a vice principal, four teachers, and a manager of a Samurdhi Bank, Sumanasiri said.
Sumanasiri said the Public Administration Circular 32/2017 classified Staff Grade Officers and Non-Staff Grade Officers in the Public Service and Provincial Public Service. That circular and the Establishment Code made it clear that such officials could not exercise political rights other than voting, and specified the procedures to be followed in dealing with errant officials, he said.
“Subsection 1:2 of Chapter XXXII of the Establishment Code states that ‘an officer not entitled to the exercise of political rights is prohibited, under threat of dismissal, from engaging in any form of political activity except casting his vote in a Presidential Election, Parliamentary Election, Referendum, Provincial Council Election, or Local Authorities Election,” Sumanasiri said.
The Establishment Code further specified that the aforementioned officers could participate in any election, Sumanasiri added.
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Taking photographs and filming polling related activities and uploading them on social media platforms constitute as violations of election laws – Election Commission
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