Countrywide security operations continue

• Court gives permission for three suspects to be detained 
• Weapons, explosives and other suspicious material found 

Security operations continued yesterday while the Colombo Magistrate’s Court gave permission for the Harbour Police to detain and question for 30 days an employee of the Ports Authority who was arrested on suspicion of spreading extremist ideologies.

Mohamed Numan Mohamed Nasran was arrested by Harbour Police and produced before court. Police informed Court that CDs containing extremist propaganda and a cheque for Rs. 1 million were recovered from his possession. Court was also informed that large transactions were conducted from his bank account and sought permission from court to question the suspect for 30 days, which was given. The Colombo Magistrate’s Court also permitted the police to detain and interrogate two others belonging to the now banned National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ) organisation. They were arrested in Kotahena and court gave permission for them to be detained for 90 days.

The two were identified as Mohamed Ismail and Mohamed Aliyar and taken into custody while staying at an apartment complex in Kotahena. However they were not produced before court, but police had submitted a report detailing documents and CDs had been found in their possession containing propaganda along with laptops, mobile phones and other equipment. The suspects are residents of the Kattankudy area, according to police.

Two Nigerians were arrested in the Ukwatte area in Avissawella for illegally residing without valid visas. The Government has already ordered the Immigration and Emigration Department to deport all foreign nationals arrested for overstaying their visas. 

During a search operation conducted at the Galle Fort, 699 lead balls and several motorcycle licence plates containing the same number were found at a house, police said. This search operation was conducted on Thursday. 

Extensive cordon and search operations of the Army and sister services were carried out across the country with assistance from the Police, the Army said on Friday. A detailed list of the operations carried out on Thursday is given below. 

In Pulmodai, army troops of the Security Force Headquarters - Wanni (SFHQ-W), together with sailors, STF and policemen, cordoned a suspicious area in a surprise operation and recovered 89 detonators, 32 pieces of det cords (16 inches each), eight water gel tubes, two pieces of detonator chargers, and a few other suspicious items after arresting one suspect. Twenty Gajaba Regiment troops of the 622 Brigade under the 62 Division conducted the raid on the location with the support of naval, STF and Police personnel.

Meanwhile, 143 Brigade troops of the 14 Division under the Security Force Headquarters - West in the past 48 hours during their cordon and search operations arrested more than 17 suspects from Kurunegala, Wariyapola, Chilaw, Wanatavilluwa, Puttalam, Madurankuliya, Iranavila, Eluwankulam and Galgamuwa areas.

Those troops recovered four vehicle number plates from Madurankuliya and arrested two suspects for being unable to furnish the reason for possession of those number plates. They had been kept hidden inside his shop when the troops together with policemen swooped on the premises. Similarly, troops arrested one Arabic teacher and four others who were in possession of machetes, two swords, several mobile phones, photos taken in police uniforms, ISIS video clips and literature, etc. All suspects were handed over to the Police for further investigations.

Meanwhile, 12 Division Headquarters troops in Hambantota town and its suburbs on Thursday recovered two swords hidden inside a drinking water well. Similarly, Army troops during cordon and search operations in Monaragala and Hambantota areas found a few army uniforms, two swords and packets of cannabis.

Eight Gemunu Watch troops, following intelligence, entered a Jumma Mosque in the Monaragala town area and took into custody a stock of ISIS literature and a single cab painted in camouflage colours. Three suspects in this connection were arrested and handed over to the Monaragala troops by the Police.

Nine Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment, 23 Gajaba Regiment, 18 Gemunu Watch and three Sri Lanka National Guard troops of the 121 and 122 Brigades of the 12 Division are currently engaged in these operations on the directions of the General Officer Commanding, 12 Division of the Security Force Headquarters - Central (SFHQ-Cen).

In the meantime, 11 Division troops in Kandy under the SFHQ-Cen in the past couple of days have been conducting cordon and search operations in the general areas of Kandy, Nawalapitiya, Gampola, Peradeniya, Akurana, Katugastota, Madawala and other areas on the directions of the General Officer Commanding, 11 Division of the SFHQ-Cen.

Eleven Division troops during those cordon and search operations inspected 603 houses and arrested 27 suspects and recovered two swords, one bore a gun with 10 ammunition, one air rifle, three safety fuses, NTJ books and documents, four NTJ banners, 17 NTJ T-shirts, five NTJ recruiting applications, six fake birth certificates, six fake NICs, 11 fake passports, 11 fake vehicle number plates, one fake driving licence, six suspicious bank slips, 16 mobile phones, 18 sim cards, three memory cards, one motor bike, 76 NTJ CDs, four video cameras, 15 cassette recorders, one lanchakku, and two boxes blood collecting syringes (600 in each) unavailable in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, troops of the Security Force Headquarters - West (SFHQ-West) on Thursday launched eight cordon and search operations in Ragama, Aluthgama, Weligama, Moratuwa, Kelaniya and suburbs in the past 24 hours.

Commander, Security Forces - West Major General Sathyapriya Liyanage on Thursday morning went to the Ragama Basilica Church in order to ensure security on the premises. On his instructions, troops with sniffing dogs inspected the premises and cleared the area after deploying more troops.

In the meantime, troops of 58 Division conducted cordon and search operations in the general areas of Darga Town, Aluthgama, Weligama and the Red Cross housing scheme in Moratuwa, and arrested eight suspects with a stock of sim cards, forged National Identity Cards, and swords. The suspects were handed over to the Police.

Similarly, Army troops of the Security Force Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E) once again together with the Police conducted one more thorough search in Samanthurai Town area and recovered one binoculars, two shotguns, 23 rounds of shotgun ammunition, 10 shotgun ammunition empty cases, four wire brushes, one cleaning rod, 28 rounds of 16mm ammunition, 31 iron balls, four swords, two knives and two axes.