News

Japan boosts SL’s counter-terrorism efforts

Published

2 years ago

2021/02/21

Japanese Ambassador SUGIYAMA Akira donated anti-terrorism surveillance and investigation vehicles to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat last week.

The vehicles were the first batch of equipment donated by the Japanese government to the Sri Lanka Police for the country’s counter-terrorism efforts in the wake of the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019.

Among those in attendance at the ceremony were Minister of Public Security, Sarath Weerasekera, Inspector General of Police, C. D. Wickramaratne and W. L. A. S. Priyantha, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police.

In addition to the vehicles donated under the grant aid worth JPY 1 billion (Rs. 1.7 billion), a wide range of essential equipment for enhancing counter-terrorism and public security capabilities is to be donated to the Sri Lanka Police and the Airport & Aviation Services Sri Lanka (AASL), including Mobile X-Ray Scanners, Walk Through Safety Inspection Gates, Vehicle Chassis Safety Inspection Systems, and Patrol Craft.

As a longstanding friend of Sri Lanka, Japan is firmly committed to combat terrorism together with Sri Lanka. Japan renews its deep condolences to all those affected by the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019, and strongly hopes that the equipment donated under this grant aid will enhance Sri Lanka’s counter-terrorism capabilities.

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Embassy officer arrested at BIA remanded

Published

7 hours ago

2022/11/29

Priyan

The Embassy official who was attached to the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oman who is accused of being involved in a human trafficking racket was arrested by officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and remanded till the 13th of December when he was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate

The official was arrested on his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning (29 November).

News

Easter Sunday terror attack suspect hacked to death

Published

18 hours ago

2022/11/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

By Norman Palihawadane

A 38-year-old Easter Sunday terror attack suspect was hacked to death yesterday morning (28) in Mattakkuliya.

The victim, Mohamed Badurdeen Mohamed Harnas, was a resident of Safiya Avenue, Mattakkuliya, police said.

A suspect in the Easter Sunday terror attacks, he had been released on bail.

The suspect was rushed to the National Hospital, Colombo, after three individuals, who arrived in a car around 10. 00 am, attacked him.

Two persons attacked the man while the other was keeping the car engine running, according to eyewitnesses. The attackers thereafter fled in the same car.

Harnas was pronounced dead on admission to hospital.

Further investigations in this regard are currently underway.

The victims family members said that Harnas had been taken into custody, following the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, but later released as there was no evidence of his involvement in terrorist activities.

News

Rail service between Mahawa and Jaffna to be suspended for five months

Published

18 hours ago

2022/11/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena told Parliament yesterday that the railway services between Mahawa and Jaffna will be suspended for a period of five months in 2023.

The Minister said that operations will be suspended from January 15, 2023.

The Minister said it was to repair work on the railway line.

He said so in response to a question raised by Vanni District MP Selvam Adaikalanathan.

“We are focusing our attention on the request made by you. We have to halt railway operations between Mahawa and Jaffna for five months from January 2023. Train services have been continuously operating to Jaffna, but now we have faced a situation as we have not been able to carry out any repair work thus far,” the Minister said.

Assuring that this issue can be rectified in five months, Minister Gunawardane said that, thereafter, a good railway service can be provided for this route.