Zahran issued weapons & gave firearm training to Kattankudy youths in 2009: Witness

25 June 2020 06:39 am - 10 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Leader of the National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) Zahran Hashim was openly using firearms to threaten Sufi Muslims and he was giving firearm training to selected Kattankudy youths even in 2009, it was revealed at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing Easter Sunday attacks yesterday.

Sunday Times journalist, Chris Kamalendran, testifying before the Commission said that he had interviewed Zahran in 2009 over a feud between traditional Muslims and Wahabbists and he visited Kattankudy in August that year.

“When I visited Sufi Muslim leaders, they told me that Zahran's group had attacked nearly 100 houses owned by Sufis” he said.

Kamalendran said that he met Zahran at a small office in Kattankudy and while he was conducting the interview, he noticed that there were T-56 firearms in the adjacent room.

He added that Muslims in Kattankudy were given weapons in 1990 during President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s regime through M.L.A.M. Hizbullah. “The weapons have been distributed publicly, a month after the Kattankudy Mosque was attacked by the LTTE,” he said.

The witness further said that even now Zahran’s group was providing weapon training and there had been frequent attacks on Sufis.

He also added that he asked Batticaloa DIG Edwin Gunathilaka and ASP Kandewatta of Kattankudy about these incidents.

"They were aware of the attacks even as early as 2009, but said there was political pressure on them to ignore extremist activities. If they had taken steps against this, they said they would have been immediately transferred," the witness added. (Yoshitha Perera)

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Comments - 10

TJ Thursday, 25 June 2020 11:13 AM

And the then government issued weapons to Zahran to fight LTTE.

RF Thursday, 25 June 2020 11:20 AM

The traditional Muslims are stuck between a rock and a hard place. One side the wahabi lunatics who try to kill them and on the other side toothless government did nothing to eliminate these lunatics despite having sufficient evidence since 2009? Now majority of the innocent Muslims have to take the blame for something which they did not have control over.

Haq Thursday, 25 June 2020 12:01 PM

Wahhabi menace should not only end here but around the world . this was invented by Al saud soon after they betrayed otaman kilafa and islam for money and wealth ,Abdul wahab with the help of british Zionist made this form of religion. they destroyed shrines in makka and madina when they captured .today Muslims do not know this that why they fall victim to wahabism. true islam is sunni sufi islam .even today in turkey ,UAE and other countries this Islam is protected .while all the Muslim countries celebrate the birth of Prophet with a holiday only saud do not , its a proof of Wahhabi ideology .ACJU,Thawhid , Jamthe islami are by products of Wahabism.before these coming to SL Muslims where not pure in this country for 1000s of years .Enlightenment or nirvana was there goal but today ?

mohamed Thursday, 25 June 2020 12:32 PM

Agree brother , you have spoken the truth .Muslims were untied tand every household in SL were Sunni sufis under the banner of Ahlus sunna wal Jama. Since 1950 starting with Jamath e islami , Thabligue and lately thawhid , the Wahhabi ideology came to destroy the unity ,took away the deep spiritual and mystical understanding of islam that lead people to enlightenment , muslims here were pious , blessed , living with head high ,with respect and good understanding and love with other religious people .but today muslims lost their dignity and trust , they lost their religion .today religions is just a form without a spirit , cos wahabism removed islamic spiritauly which is sufism or Tasawwuf from islamic teachings which was practiced for over thousand years .all the sahabah were great sufis too

tim Thursday, 25 June 2020 12:01 PM

This is very clear that Saharan was operating under the blessings of the former regime.. who orchestrated the entire Easter Attack Drama. How pathetic politicians could be just to hold onto power.

ChanakaJ Thursday, 25 June 2020 12:59 PM

So, what camp do the Muslim politicians belong to, Sufi or Wahabbists?

Jeeves Thursday, 25 June 2020 01:00 PM

And all these attacks against the Sufis went unnoticed by the Ministry of Muslim affairs? Why?

Sashi Thursday, 25 June 2020 01:06 PM

We can all see the shift from our traditional Muslim brothers to a form of Islam which has caused alienation, division and aggression! It is ripping Sri Lanka apart!

Hussain Athas Friday, 26 June 2020 12:07 AM

The ISIS, Thalaiban

Bhatiya Siriwardena Friday, 26 June 2020 08:01 AM

In 2009 MR was in power. Zahran was tolerated as per evidence. Similarly previous govt too has tolerated. Sirisena keeping the defence and Police blundered and Ranil and his govt Just sat idling. Hisbullah, Baduideen and Hakeem etc all have played politics. One Muslim gent above commented about innocent Muslims. Thats true. Innocent public suffer. Wahabism, ACJU etc all must be banned together with uncivilised Muslim marriage laws. Then Muslims here will have pride of place in SL as before. Time to change

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Zahran issued weapons & gave firearm training to Kattankudy youths in 2009: Witness

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