MI detectives to probe attacks on Muslims

The role of Military Intelligence (MI) operatives under the previous administration was a hotly contested subject during the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2015.

So much so, some of them were hauled up in courts over alleged attacks on different persons including journalists.

Last Wednesday, however, President Maithripala Sirisena declared that he would order the deployment of Military Intelligence personnel to identify those responsible for the alleged attacks on mosques and business establishments owned by Muslims.

He made the announcement at a meeting of the Government Parliamentary Group, both the SLFP and the UNP, at the Parliamentary complex. His announcement was greeted with continuous applause by the MPs.

Colombo District UNP parliamentarian Mujibur Rahman raised issue at the meeting which was summoned for MPs to be briefed on rehabilitation work in areas affected by the recent floods and landslides.

President Sirisena noted that he had issued many a directive to the Police but they had failed so far to identify the suspects or arrest them.

A witty UNP MP who was at the meeting remarked, “President Sirisena’s declaration was not only an indictment on the Police but also an acknowledgement that MI operatives, controversies notwithstanding, were still capable at ferreting out intelligence.”