The State Intelligence Service (SIS) has found links between several politicians of key Sri Lankan political parties and 10 organized criminal gangs, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala revealed in Parliament today. 

Minister Wijepala said that the SIS reports links between politicians from parties, such as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), United National Party (UNP) and the organized criminal gangs.

He further said that former ministers and deputy ministers, Parliamentarians, and current and former local council politicians have also been found to have links with the organized criminal gangs.

The minister said that investigations have been launched into these links, adding that the SIS reports that this situation has led to an increase in crimes in the country. 

“Several teams have been launched to probe the matter and arrest those involved,” he added. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka human rights activist Chirantha Amerasinghe has filed a complaint against the State Intelligence Service (SIS) over his arrest in 2020 for a comment made regarding forced cremations during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Issuing a statement, Chirantha Amerasinghe said he had filed a complaint with the Police Headquarters against the SIS over its involvement in his arrest. 

Chirantha Amerasinghe revealed that based on information from the SIS, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had arrested him for claiming that ‘COVID-19 does not spread in water’.

He pointed out that the CID had arrested him without even a complaint being filed against him.

The human rights activist also said that later it was revealed that he was arrested based on information from the SIS, as he had also made a comment related to the Channel 4 documentary on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. 

Stressing that there were serious concerns over the actions of the Head of the SIS and officials involved in his arrest, Chirantha Amerasinghe called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this incident. (Newswire)

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The Court of Appeal was informed on Monday (Dec 04) of an alleged conspiracy to murder former Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Shani Abeysekera, it was reported. 

According to reports, the Attorney General had informed the court that the State Intelligence Service had uncovered information related to a conspiracy to kill Abeysekera in a car accident.

The court was informed in this regard when the writ petition filed by Shani Abeysekera, seeking an order instructing the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other respondents to provide sufficient security for him due to life threats, was taken up for consideration. 

The Attorney General’s statement was conveyed by the Additional Solicitor General to the Court of Appeal two-judge bench consisting of justices Nisshanka Bandula Karunaratne and Vikum Kaluarachchi. 

The court had previously issued an order to the Victims and Witnesses Protection Authority to submit a report on the nature of the threats against Shani Abeysekera.

The Additional Solicitor General submitted to the court yesterday the report by the Victims and Witnesses Protection Authority related to the threats to Shani Abeysekera. 

The report confirmed that there were threats to the life of Abeysekera and also revealed details of the conspiracy to kill him in a car accident.

Pointing out that only an old motorcycle and three Police Officers have been allocated for security, the lawyer representing Abeysekera informed the court that insufficient security has been provided to his client at present. 

He further alleged that although the Victims and Witnesses Protection Authority had issued an order to the IGP to provide adequate protection to the petitioner, it has not been fulfilled so far.

Taking into consideration all the facts presented, the Court of Appeal Judge Bench ordered the case to be convened on December 14 to issue an appropriate order regarding the petition. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka’s State Intelligence Service has warned of plans to conduct a massive people’s protest using farmers of the nation. 

Cabinet Spokesman Bandula Gunawardena stated that the State Intelligence Service has informed President Ranil Wickremesinghe in this regard. 

Addressing the media yesterday, Minister Gunawardena stated that the President notified the Cabinet of Ministers of the matter during the Cabinet meeting held on Monday (August 07).

The Cabinet Spokesman said that the President informed that there were attempts by a group to create a people’s protest similar to the ‘Aragalaya’ peoples’ movement in 2022.

He further stated that it was reported that the group intends to use the drought conditions, the plight of farmers, and the electricity and water supply as reasons for the protests.

“The State Intelligence Service has reported that the protests are being planned by people who were part of the ‘Aragalaya’ as well as various parties in the opposition,” the Minister added. (NewsWire)

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