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Swords may have been used to clear shrubs: Haleem

2 May 2019 12:17 am - 12     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The caches of swords found from several mosques may have been used to clear shrubs surrounding those mosques, Muslim Religious Affairs Minister M. H. A. Haleem said.

Addressing a news briefing on Tuesday, he said it was reported that some mosques had swords hidden in them.

“We looked into it. Most of the mosques are surrounded by cemeteries with shrub jungles growing in them. They use various types of equipment to clear them and maybe they used these for that purpose,” he said when asked about swords which were found at mosques.

When asked whether the swords had been imported to cut grass, the Minister said, “No! Its not like that. Security forces are probing these incidents. We will let them arrive at a conclusion,”

He said he was not aware of the existence of the extremist Muslim religious group, National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ) in the east and the mushrooming of the NTJ in Kandy in the last few years.

But he admitted that his Ministry has given permission to register 94 new mosques in the Kandy District alone since 2015.

Minister Haleem told the media that the comments made by SLFP General Secretary former minister Dayasiri Jayasekara at a news briefing on Monday to the effect that Muslim Religious Affairs Ministry had given permission to set up 50 NTJ centres in Kandy alone and another 400 islandwide after 2015 were untrue.

“The statement made by my friend Dayasiri Jayasekara is incorrect. I have not given permission to a single NTJ group to set up a centre in Kandy or any other part of the country. I know who gives this false information to him. Mr. Jayasekara should have checked on the authenticity of the information before speaking to the media on the matter,” he said. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

 

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  Comments - 12

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  • Ice Thursday, 02 May 2019 08:42 AM

    Is that the best excuse you came up with. But our Gov will buy it because they are after your votes.

    B.K.Jayasundera Thursday, 02 May 2019 09:02 AM

    The man how climbed a Kithul tree to steal Toddy also said the same thing

    sunil vijaya Thursday, 02 May 2019 09:06 AM

    grass cutting! where do you get grass in the east

    joshua Thursday, 02 May 2019 09:10 AM

    unfortunately there no shrubs in slave island ?

    JIM Thursday, 02 May 2019 09:30 AM

    All this time you had the benefit of the doubt. Now, we know.

    Lord Wolfstein Thursday, 02 May 2019 09:43 AM

    The time to fight with swords and commit terrorist attacks may have been over for several centuries.

    Hamfert Thursday, 02 May 2019 09:57 AM

    Fantastic excuse sir sorry but we the public will not bite that one.

    Ice Thursday, 02 May 2019 10:18 AM

    Dear Muslim Religious Affairs Minister M. H. A. Haleem. Your Title is very sensitive and most of all Religious. Soon you will be observing the Holy Month of Ramadan. Be careful of what you are saying who you are covering up. I do not feel, commencing from Lord Buddha to the almighty God, will entertain lies. Be careful.

    Thimothy Thursday, 02 May 2019 11:16 AM

    Why are you scared to admit that they could have been kept to be used as a self deference thing. It is quite reasonable... In 83 most of the Tamil Houses were also armed with what ever they could to protect themselves. There aren't any reason for some of the findings as people would be storing many things with them... Why not talk of all swords etc.. used by the underworld... Where do they come from... No one was expecting such a thing to be vigilant of what they have in their possession. Who thought having a sword with them would be a crime..... And then what about the Museum .. Swords are there on display in many other places too..

    Thomas Thursday, 02 May 2019 11:40 AM

    WHAT A LAME EXCUSE

    Mod Goviya Thursday, 02 May 2019 12:12 PM

    So..try with C4...

    Chari Thursday, 02 May 2019 12:17 PM

    May even use Detonators to remove unwanted Tress from the Garden.


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