Lankan survivor of 9/11 recounts disaster on 20th anniversary

Srinath Jinadasa, 79, an American citizen of Lankan descent who miraculously came out alive from the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York 20 years ago last week, was in the U.S. news as the media focused on the anniversary of the audacious terrorist strike on an iconic building using hijacked aircraft.

Jinadasa who worked for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a structural engineer said last week that the Authority among other things owned the WTC site and operated the PATH subway system between New York and New Jersey. He was recalled to work to help deal with issues relating to t operating PATH facilities other than the WTC line after unwinding at home for about a week after his ordeal.

“I did experience some anxiety for a while. I could not make myself go to the WTC site until after the victims remains were removed from there,” he said.

He also recounted tht his sister, Anoja Wijesekera, who worked for UNICEF in Kabul (Afghanistan), was evacuated the day following the WTC attack after so-called Northern Alliance launched an attack on that city.

“I think the U.S. had to bring justice to Al Qaeda and Bin Laden. However lots of politicians were using the attack to further their political ambitions, I think resulting in an over-reaction to the tragedy,” he said.

“The democracy proselytizers used the tragedy as an opportunity to promote regime change in the Middle East and beyond. Think of Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine etc. Politicians of all stripes from all over jumped in. Big mess!

 “This I think turned on the Islamists – Islamic State , Iranians  and who knows who else? The very sad attack only last week in France, last year in Sri Lanka. So many Islamist /Islamic State attacks all over the world – America, France , Britain, India, Indonesia, Russia, Middle East, etc, etc. I think this is what Osama was envisioning when he planned the 9/11 attack to provoke an over-reaction in the west and a resulting counter reaction from the Islamists. I think Osama succeeded well beyond all his expectations.”

Jinadasa, a son of the late H. Jinadasa Samarakkody, a member of the old Ceylon Civil Service, who retired as Secretary to the Treasury, said that at the time of his escape from the ???? floor, he waited for some time before he began his descent.

“I watered the (indoor plants) in my office and carried a wet towel when I walked down.” he said. I did not think the building will collapse but I did not factor the steel in the concrete melting in the very high temperatures generated.”

Srinath who has now retired to Florida said that in hindsight, he would say that the democracy/human rights proselytizers made use of the even to spread havoc in the Islamic world and further provoke the Jihadists. This was most likely what Osama wanted and succeeded in doing, he said.

“Furthermore it launched a huge, wasteful security industrial complex.”