Former Ministers MP Rishad Bathiudeen and MP Mohammed Haleem had visited the house of the suspect arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday attack at Dehiwala on several occasions after the attack, it was yesterday informed at the PCoI probing Easter Sunday attacks.
Earlier it was informed to the Commission that after the Easter Sunday attacks MP Rishad Bathiudeen had contacted former Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake on three occasions regarding his arrest. Testifying before the Commission, a Grama Niladhari Officer of the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia area Nilantha Sanjeewa Fonseka had provided evidence regarding certain arrests made in the particular area in connection with the attack.
“A special inquiry was carried out on Muinuddin Isham Ahmed, son of Mohammed Hanifa Muinuddin, a resident of 213/3, Galwala Road, Dehiwala. It was learned that he had spent most of the day in the area on the eve of the Easter attack, hanging out with young people and conversing with them,” he said.
The witness also informed about a Thawheed Jamaath Mosque situated in Galvihara Road Dehiwala where there were several issues regarding the mosque with the people in the area.
“There were various problems with this mosque even before the attack. The young man mentioned earlier was also a frequent visitor to this mosque. However, after the Easter attack, suspect ‘Muinuddin Isham Ahmed’, along with ‘Mohammad Akram Awkam’ and ‘Mohammad Akram Sajihar’ were arrested on suspicion,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioners questioned whether there were any politicians or any other officials present at the scene, after the arrest of these suspects. Responding to the question the witness said that MPs Rishad Bathiudeen and Mohammed Haleem visited these suspects’ houses several times.
The Commissioners then asked Attorney-at-Law Rishvi Habib who represented Rishard Bathiudeen, whether he needed to cross-examine the witness, to which he responded saying that since his client is currently in remand custody, he would like to contact him on the prison phone and seek further advice.
Accordingly, the Commissioners directed the Secretary of the Commission to discuss the legal status of the request with the Commissioner General of Prisons and take necessary action.
