NCM against Rishad B: Ten charges for complicity with suicide bombers

The no-confidence motion (NCM) against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen alleges he tried to pressurise the Army Commander to release suspects arrested over the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, and that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce under him had supplied empty cartridge cases violating procedure to the copper factory owned by Inshaf Ahmed -- the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel.

The ten chages in the NCM claim there is justifiable suspicion that the Minister used political influence to ensure that the copper factory workers, who police claimed helped

assemble the bombs used in the attack, were released on bail on May 6.

The Minister’s alleged close association with Mohammed Ibrahim, who is the father of two of the Easter Sunday suicide bombers, has also been mentioned.

The NCM, signed by 66 Opposition MPs was handed over to the Speaker on Thursday (16). Party leaders are to discuss when to debate the NCM when they meet on Tuesday.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila, who handed over the motion to the Speaker, rubbished reports that they had been asked to resubmit the motion by the Speaker owing to a mistake with the date. “The original NCM was handed over with the correct date. The question of a typographical mistake does not arise anyway as what is accepted as the correct date is the date of submission. The NCM has now been listed in Parliament’s Order Book,” he said.

United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarian A shu Marasinghe said he expected the party’s stance on the NCM to be discussed when the UNP Parliamentary Group meets in Parliament at 11.00am on Tuesday.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) was not consulted when drafting the NCM, its parliamentarian Bimal Rathnayake told the Sunday Times. “Our party’s stance is that the first person that should be held responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks is the President. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are second. When there is plenty of evidence pointing to the responsibility of the entire Government, we are suspicious as to why an NCM has been submitted specifically targeting one Muslim Minister,” he remarked. He added that the JVP would discuss the matter further, if the NCM was to be taken up in Parliament.

Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi ( I TAK) Leader Mava i Senathirajah said, “A date to debate the motion will be decided at the next Party Leader’s Meeting. The Tamil National Alliance Parliamentary Group will then meet to take a decision,” he explained.