News
Indian police find Link between Coimbatore car cylinder explosion, 1998 serial blasts, Lanka Easter bombings
A probe into a recent cylinder blast, in a car, in Coimbatore, has revealed a link with the serial blasts that happened in the Tamil Nadu city, 24 years ago, and the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka, an Indian media report said.The report published by The Federal said: In 1998, 58 people had died in serial blasts in Coimbatore and more than 200 were injured. The explosions had targeted then national president of the BJP, LK Advani, in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition.
In Sri Lanka, more than 250 people were killed in the Easter bombings in 2019.On 23 October, 75-kg of explosives, including potassium nitrate, were seized from the residence of 29-year-old Jameesha Mubeen who was killed after a gas cylinder exploded in a car he was travelling, in Coimbatore. Mubeen is suspected to have played a key role in a conspiracy bid to carry out sabotage activities.
Investigation by the special team, in Coimbatore, said Mubeen was not a suicide bomber, and he did not know how to handle explosives. “He was not keeping well. In fact, he had suicidal thoughts. But he probably never planned to kill himself in a blast,” a police officer, who is part of the investigation, told The Federal.People who knew Mubeen said that he did not have many friends and mostly kept aloof. Until 2019, he was working at a book shop and later, he was asked to leave after the NIA raided his house, at GM Nagar, in Ukkadam.
Later, he started to make a living by selling old clothes. “He used to get old shirts for INR 5-10, and have them dry-cleaned, which would cost INR10-15. Then, he would pack them and sell them on the platforms and in markets for a cheaper price. That is how he was making a living for all these years,” said a relative of Mubeen.According to police, Mubeen and others had planned terror attacks, in Coimbatore, in at least five places.
“He had collected chemicals, used in country-made bombs. Mubeen, along with a few others, was seen shifting things from his house. So, it was understood that they had planned the attack, but the target was different,” a senior police official, who is part of the investigation, told The Federal.
“During the search, we recovered a piece of paper in which Mubin had written down the names of five places. These might have been his targets. These five places were the police commissioner’s office, the collector’s office, the railway station, the race course, and Victoria town hall,” the official said.
According to the Tamil Nadu Police, one of the six accused in the explosion case, confessed, during interrogation, that he met two men in a Kerala prison who had links with an ISIS group involved in the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka.Feroze Ismail confessed that he had met Mohammed Azharuddin and Rashid Ali, lodged in a prison in the neighbouring state, and further questioning is on to ascertain the motive behind the meeting, they said. Azharuddin and Ali are in jail in connection with a case against them in the neighbouring state.
Five accused were taken to their houses and searches were carried out, police said. Police have arrested five people who had been in contact with Mubeen, and charged them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Mubeen was under the NIA radar in 2019 in the aftermath of the Easter bomb blasts in Sri Lanka, but no case was filed against him, police said.
A link between the 1998 serial blasts and the recent cylinder explosion has emerged with the terror organisation Al-Ummah. One of the six arrested now – Mohammed Thalka or Dalqa is the son of Al-Ummah chief Syed Ahmed Basha’s brother, Nawab Khan, who is in prison now serving a life term and 27 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with the 1998 serial blasts.On Friday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case to probe the cylinder blast.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
