The Government sources categorically rejected the claim by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Joint Opposition (JO) that the assassination bid on the TNA Jaffna District Parliamentarian, M.A.Sumanthiran’s life is clear proof of the collapse of the national intelligence network, and a threat to national security.
The sources ensured that the security forces could prevent any attempt on MP Sumanthiran’s life and they are able to arrest those involved, due to the vigilance of the intelligence services. Government legislators said, since the JO had nothing to say, they attempt to hoodwink the people into believing that the national security is in danger. These are completely false statements by the JO for their mere political survival.
The Government will not leave any room for the LTTE remnants to raise their ugly heads, once again. At present, the intelligence services have been entirely confined to ensure national security and have not been used for any political purposes.
State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene told the Sunday Observer:
Investigations
“We don’t want to blow this incident out of proportion. Investigations are being conducted, and four persons suspected to be involved in the incident have already been taken into custody by the Police.
The Police and the intelligence services could arrest those who were behind the assassination attempt. No opportunity will be provided to sweep this incident under the carpet. At present, we have an independent judiciary in the country so that the Government will accept the ruling given by the judiciary”.
The Minister said, “investigations are being conducted expeditiously. The Government would permit no room to ex-LTTE cadres to once again regroup and destabilise the country. We will not allow the LTTE remnants to pose any threat to national security”.
Minister Wijewardene categorically rejected the claims by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Joint Opposition (JO) that intelligence services have collapsed and national security has faced a threat.
“How could the security forces prevent the attempt on MP Sumanthiran’s life and elicit information about it? We could immediately arrest the suspects due to the surveillance of the intelligence services”. The Minister said:
“The former President and his group attempt to create a false impression that separatism will once again raise its ugly head due to the policies of the Government. By making various statements, they are engaged in a sinister move to create psychosis in the country.
They have resorted to such moves due to their greediness to grab power. In a situation where the two main parties have joined hands to govern the country in good faith, the former President and his group should in fact extend their support to the Government, rather than standing in its way.
“The armed forces are still deployed in the North and the intelligence services too are operating. Some JO members want to create a crisis situation, to help them come back to power. It is the reason that they always try to promote racism, and attempt to portray that the country’s national security is in danger”.
UPFA General Secretary and Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Mahinda Amaraweera told the Sunday Observer:
“At present the Government has launched a full scale investigation into this incident. We are not in a position yet, to say whether such incidents are organized by a group of individuals, such as, the Ava group, or whether it is a well planned assassination plot. However, it is obvious that this assassination attempt is a device to silence the moderates in the TNA”.
Claims
Minister Amaraweera categorically denied the statements by the JO and some newspaper reports that the LTTE might revive, and said, “There is no basis for such claims and the Government will not leave room for the LTTE remnants to take recourse to an armed struggle. I categorically say, it would not happen during the tenure of this Government.
“The former Government released LTTE suspects on a mass scale. When a war ends, ex-combatants are released after being rehabilitated.
Therefore, the Government and the security forces would focus special attention to ascertain whether there is any involvement of such ex-LTTE cadres in the assassination attempt on MP Sumanthiran. If there is any such involvement, steps will be taken to recheck all ex-LTTE cadres released by the former Government.
It is an utter lie by the former President and the JO, that intelligence services have collapsed and the national security is at a risk. In fact, it was the intelligence services that elicited information about the incident. At present, they are very active. They have been focused only on legitimate tasks, and have not been used for any political purposes.
“The intelligence services are on alert on the terrorist groups and other developments in the country, in the context of national security. We are fully satisfied with the tasks fulfilled by them. Sometimes, there may be changes in some of their positions, but they are performing their jobs independently, and without any interference”, the Minister said.