Public Security Minister flays JVP for spreading extremist views

By Norman Palihawadane

Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd.) Sarath Weerasekera yesterday said that there was reason to believe that the JVP, too, was promoting extremist ideologies of the Zahran Hashim’s group.

Speaking at a ceremony held at the Maligakanda Mahabodhi Vihara to mark the 147th anniversary of the Police Department, the Minister said the JVP’s Bimal Ratnayake had recently stated that those who worship statues should be called tribesmen.

“It was Zahran Hashim’s group that propagated such extremist views. They were the ones who damaged the Buddha statutes, and Ratnayake’s statement tallies with their ideology. So, we suspect that they shared same views. In addition Mohammad Yusuf Ibrahim, a key suspect in the Easter Sunday bombings, was on the JVP’s National List. Ibrahim has mentioned many names. We are proceeding with our investigations on information divulged by the suspects. We also have information that the JVP-led National People’s Power and Sri Lanka Jamaat-e-Islami signed an MoU when the NPP was formed in 2019. The extremist Islamic organisation is one among those banned for their links with Zahran’s group.”

Minister Weerasekera said that 3,170 policemen had died in the line of duty, and they included those who made the supreme sacrifice during the war against terrorism.

Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Maj. Gen. Jagath Alwis, Western Province Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon and senior police officers were present on the occasion.