Ex-TID head: IGP, SIS did not allow Jihadist fighter returning from Syria to be arrested

By Rathindra Kuruwita

A senior official of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara had asked the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) not to investigate a Sri Lankan named Mohammad Nilabdeen Mohammad Rimzan, who had returned after fighting for ISIS in 2018, former head of TID Deputy Inspector General of police Nalaka de Silva yesterday told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.

Silva said that TID had picked up Nilabdeen Rimzan at the airport and asked him to come to the TID after initial questioning. However, Deputy Director of SIS, Sampath Kumara had asked Silva not to pursue the investigation as the SIS was conducting a separate investigation.

“Kumara asked me not to disturb Rimzan. I said we wanted to question him because the TID wanted to

know why he has returned. This was the time when ISIS was losing and sending its foreign fighters home. I then asked him to talk to the IGP and make a formal request.”

Silva said that subsequently a letter had been sent by the IGP to then Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order, Pathmasiri Jayamanne on 14 March 2018. He had submitted a copy of the letter sent by the IGP to Jayamanne.

Silva added that the TID had kept tabs on extremists like National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim and Abdul Latif Jameel Mohammed, who blew himself up at the Dehiwala Tropical Inn, and reported their activities on a weekly basis to the IGP.

In addition to the weekly reports, the IGP was continuously informed of TID investigations carried out on his instructions, Silva said.

Several reports exchanged between then IGP Jayasundara and the TID were also submitted to the Commission.