Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Cache of weapons found at Oluvil

- Text and pix by Wasantha Chandrapal­a

Investigat­ions to ascertain who buried the cache of weapons and explosives -recovered from a secluded land in Palamunai, Akkaraipat­tuare ongoing.

The detection was made during investigat­ions into associates of the mastermind behind Easter Sunday attack -Zahran Hashim. Police found a T-56 firearm, a magazine and 23 live rounds of T-56 ammunition as well as a parcel containing two timing-watches, four water jell sticks, seven locally made detonators, two cords of wire, two types of unidentifi­ed gun powder, four batteries and two small parcels of amonia and urea.

The haul of weapons and explosives were recovered on Wednesday (18), buried under a goat-shed situated in the vicinity of the Oluvil Harbour. The discovery was made following informatio­n received from the State Intelligen­ce Service (SIS) unit in Ampara.

On informatio­n given by “Kalmunai Shiyam” -a close associate of Zahran Hashim a hardcore member of the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ), investigat­ors recovered around 3,000 CDs containing extremist literature.

Shiyam also provided informatio­n which led investigat­ors to recover Rs.5 million used for terrorist financing and a laptop thought to have belonged to Zahran.

Investigat­ors are now trying to ascertain whether Shiyam deliberate­ly concealed informatio­n about the haul of weapons and explosives or whether they had been buried in the land by someone else.

Shiyam also provided informatio­n which led investigat­ors to recover Rs.5 million used for terrorist financing and a laptop thought to have belonged to Zahran.

 ??  ?? The goat shed under which the cache of weapons was discovered
The goat shed under which the cache of weapons was discovered
 ??  ?? Section of the haul of weapons unearthed near the Oluvil harbour.
Section of the haul of weapons unearthed near the Oluvil harbour.
 ??  ?? Some of the CDs containing extremist literature
Some of the CDs containing extremist literature

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