Govt. raises concerns on competence of Intelligence Units

Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardene yesterday expressed dubiousness on the competency of Intelligence Units after failing to understand prior notices.

“The competence of Intelligence Agencies has been questioned several times for overlooking information such as the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019,” he said responding to a query posed by journalists at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing as to whether Kanjipani Imran’s reported escape to Tamil Nadu was due to the incompetence of the intelligence unit. 

’Kanjipani’ sneaked into Rameswaram days after his release on bail by a court in Sri Lanka, The Hindu reported on 1 January, quoting police sources.

The Tamil Nadu intelligence has sounded an alert to senior police officers across the State to mount vigil along the coastal districts and look for him and his associate who landed along the Ramanathapuram district coast on 25 December.

However, Gunawardene said that questions about how the relevant Intelligence Units remained unknown of the underworld figure’s escape are a question that should be asked by the Defence Ministry. 

“The matter was not discussed at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting, as we do not know this. The State Minister of Defence would be able to provide a statement in this regard,” he added.

Imran, wanted by the authorities for various offences, including murders and criminal intimidation, was arrested in Dubai in 2019 and deported to Sri Lanka. He was in judicial custody till a local court granted him bail on payment of two sureties, each Rs. 5 million.