Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam on Thursday accused the infamous Tripoli platoon, a paramilitary intelligence unit, of involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019.

Speaking during the debate on the Easter Sunday attacks, Rasamanickam said the group had been involved in a spate of killings since early 2005, long before the Easter Sunday attacks.

The MP said the platoon made up of Muslim, Tamil and Sinhalese operatives was set up in 2005 and persons linked to it such as Police Faiz, Khaleel and Army Mohideen are linked to serious crimes.

He alleged that in 2004, Police Faiz established an organisation called ‘Imanian Enjangal’ as part of a state intelligence operation to foster Islamic extremism in the country. He also noted that Khaleel was one of the main accused in the murder of former MP Joseph Pararajasingham along with Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) MP Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan. “Khaleel was later released from prison during the tenure of Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” the MP pointed out.

He noted that the platoon is accused of being involved in the TRO massacre (2006), abduction and murder of Vice-Chancellor of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath (2006), abduction and murder of Varsha Jude Reggie (2009) among many others.

He noted that TMVP members were implicated in these incidents and accused the military of helping the Tripoli platoon to cover up their crimes. He noted that while TMVP members Mervin and Varadaraja Janadaran along with two others were arrested for the killing of Reggy, the four suspects were allegedly killed by the State just weeks later. The MP said while the platoon carried out Government sanctioned murders, the Army in turn helped the Tripoli platoon to cover up abductions for ransom carried out by them such as in this instance.

According to Rasamanickam, the TMVP tested out an election ploy by engineering a communal clash in 2008 which they later replicated across the country through the platoon. He said during the 2008 Easter Provincial Council elections, intelligence operatives identified as Hussein and Police Faiz shot dead TMVP member Shanthan which led a Tamil group to clash with a group of Muslim youth in Kattankudy which resulted in 13 deaths. “This was carried out by Faiz connected to the Tripoli platoon,” the MP pointed out.

The MP urged the President to arrest MP MP Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan to find the truth about the Easter Sunday attack. “Arrest him to find out the truth without protecting this one MP. They only received 50,000 votes. Do not be afraid. Seek the truth,” he urged.

The MP said the group is now suppressing those such as Hussein who want to reveal the truth about these incidents.

The Opposition has on many occasions accused Chandrakanthan of leading the Tripoli platoon which was also implicated in the abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr in 2008. Chandrakanthan was a former armed fighter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) before breaking away in April 2004 to form the breakaway faction, the TMVP which has long been linked to the Sri Lankan military.

In the wake of the Election Commission officially announcing that the Presidential election will be held between September 17 and October 16, a faction of both government and opposition MPs have expressed concerns as they prefer a parliamentary election first, Daily Mirror learns.

United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu will travel to India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh between May 10 and 15. His trip will strengthen bilateral cooperation with each country and demonstrate U.S. support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Innocent people including school children are arrested under the Yukthiya Operation for minor offences in some police stations and they are unreasonably charged under Act 54 of the Criminal Procedure, several government MPs charged today.

The expulsion petition filed by former State Minister Diana Gamage challenging the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) decision to expel her from party membership was today fixed for May 28 by the Supreme Court. Diana Gamage’s stance regarding this petition is to be informed to the court on the next date.

Mujibur Rahuman was sworn in as a National List MP before Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena a shortwhile ago. Rahuman fills the vacancy created by the unseatimg of Diana Gamage who was declared to be ineligible to remain as an MP by the Supreme Court.

Investigations have revealed that more than 80 Sri Lankan war veterans have been sent to the Russian-Ukrainian war front as members of mercenary groups by human traffickers.

The Election Commission formally announced that the 2024 Presidential election will be held on a day between September 17 and October 16.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today issued an order preventing State Minister Diana Gamage from leaving the country. Colombo Chief Magistrate Thilina Gamage made this order in connection with a magisterial inquiry filed against her for allegedly committing offences under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act.

A total of 37 new liquor permits (FL4) were issued by the Excise Department during the first four months of this year, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said today. He told Parliament that 16 out of the 37 were issued to super markets.

Claiming that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa must take full responsibility over the issues faced by the country, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said today that if Premadasa had taken up the premiership on April 10, there would have been no issues.

There is no legal barrier for the non-citizens to register a political party, Former Chairman of Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday.

It has been reported that a group in the government ranks is attempting to file a case with the Supreme Court over the legitimacy of the main opposition party – Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

Leg-spinner Viyaskanth Vijayakanth was handed his Indian Premier League debut today after he was named in the Sunrisers Hyderabad playing XI against the Lucknow Super Giants. Vijayakanth was drafted into the Sunrisers squad after Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

The Supreme Court in another landmark judgment today held that State Minister Diana Gamage is disqualified to be a Member of Parliament and is thus not entitled to hold office as a Member of Parliament, as she was not a citizen of Sri Lanka.

Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security along with Controller General of the Department of Immigration and Emigration have been summoned before the Committee on Public Finance tomorrow, CoPF Chairman Dr. Harsha De Silva said today.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will hold a discussion shortly to decide on who will fill the national list slot that has fallen vacant as a result of the Supreme Court decision that Diana Gamage cannot function as an MP as she is not a citizen of Sri Lanka, party General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said today.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) founder Basil Rajapaksa reasserted yesterday that his party still believes the general election should precede the presidential elections but President Ranil Wickremesinghe has a contrasting stand, according to an informed source of the party.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed that the enhancement of the rural economy pivots on agricultural advancement. He highlighted the pivotal role of dedicated government officials at the grassroots level in ensuring the success of various government initiatives aimed at rural development, notably the agricultural modernization program.

A deal struck by Sri Lanka with IVS-GBS-VFS Global, a private contractor, is worth 840 million dollars over its 12-year lifetime, opposition legislator S M Marikkar said in parliament. The firm was charging 18.5 dollars per visa and a 5 to 7 dollar ‘convenience fee’ on top of the government visa fee from tourists trying to enter Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said he has objected to fees charged from foreign tourists by VFS Global, a private company, though he has not resigned from cabinet.