“Gotabhaya has to also be responsible for Mannar incident” – intelligence officials

Tuesday, 24 July 2012 

A senior police officer said that there are doubts over Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s conduct during the Mannar incident since it seems that he too had aided in the attack.

The police officer said intelligence officers had received information that a group of Muslim fishermen were trying to attack the Mannar Magistrate’s Court on Minister Bathiudeen’s instigation and instead of working to prevent such a scenario, the Defence Secretary had provided a helicopter to the Minister to travel to Mannar.

Minister Bathiudeen had told The Sunday Times newspaper that he had discussed the situation in Mannar with the Defence Secretary and that he was then provided a helicopter to travel to Mannar.

“The State Intelligence Service had received all details about the attack before the incident. The head of the Intelligence Service had personally met the Defence Secretary on the 16th and explained the details about the issue due to the severity of the situation (due to the Minister’s involvement),” the police officer said.

The officer alleged that although the Defence Secretary should have acted to prevent the situation, his actions were to the contrary and had further instigated the situation.