Mahinda lets it slip regarding

assassination bid on Maithri :Corporal

and firearm not taken into custody -An
analysis

(Lanka-e-News -29.April.2015, 11.30PM) President

Maithripala Sirisena is a politician who escaped 6 assassination attempts on
him . On 9 th October 2008 , in Boralesgamuwa , his car was targeted for
attack by a suicide bomber , stories did the rounds at that time the
Rajapakse regime was involved. Now , as recently as 25 th of this month ,
when Maithri was at Hambantota , the fortress of the Rajapakses , an army
corporal with a weapon allegedly attached to the security detail of Namal
Rajapakse threateningly moved into close quarters of Maithri. Though he
was reckoned as a suspect he has still not been arrested. Lanka e news
learns that the CID had only recorded a statement of his , even without
dispossessing him of the weapon , and released him.

Police media spokesman , ASP Ruwan Gunasekera answering queries posed

by Lanka e news , while confirming these details said , statements have
been recorded of over 15 persons. Among them were PSD officers, STF
officers , and the army corporal. However so far , a statement of Namal
Rajapakse had not been recorded. A statement from PSD chief DIG S.M.
Wickremesinghe had also not been recorded in connection with the
security lapse, Gunasekera further confirmed.
It is being widely questioned whether the police are following a new policy
of making arrests only after the president is shot down .
Based on the probe conducted by the Lanka e news inside information
division , there are a number of reasons to suspect that an assassination
bid was made by the Rajapakses on Mathripala , and that misfired.
The suspicious statement made by Mahinda
1. On the 22 nd , that is three days before the assassination attempt made
on the 25 th , Mahinda made an intriguing statement to a AFP in relation to
his defeat on the 8 th. The PSD slit my throat. My senior security personnel
senior DIG S. M. Wickremesinghe betrayed me. Not only the DIG , even the
tea taster betrayed me.'
This well and truly confirms it is an assassination bid , because
Wickremesinghe is now the chief security officer of Maithripala Sirisena.
Based on Mahindas comments , according to him it would have been
alright if he was overthrown on a military coup on 8th January or lost in a
hard fought contest with Maithri in the elections. On the contrary he claims
he lost because he held elections on 8 th January two years prior to the
scheduled date of elections , the people voted against him. If this is the
truth , the possibilities of the tea taster or his security chief betraying him
which Mahinda is alleging is out of the question.
This Wickremesinghe about whom Mahinda is accusing was in the security
detail of his for 18 years , of which 9 years he spent with Mahinda when he
was the president as his chief security officer. Moreover , when Mahinda
fled on 8 th January to Medamulana by helicopter , it was Wickremesinghe
who travelled with him for Mahindas security , and when Mahinda hung on
his house window like a bat and was yelling out , Wickremesinghe was
with him. Wickremesinghe thereafter returned to Colombo only after two
weeks. After returning he was awaiting a transfer to Jaffna.
While this is the backdrop , why did Mahinda three days prior to the
assassination bid made by Namals security officer suddenly tell the
foreign media that DIG Wickremesinghe betrayed him?
This is simply because he knew ahead , three days later there is going to

be some incident involving Maithripala , for which the latters security

chief, Wickremesinghe will be held responsible . Hence in order to disclaim
to the world he has no connection with Wickremesinghe , and to ward off
any suspicion that may be aroused on the latter , he made these
remarks .Mahindas story about the tea taster to the AFP is also an index
by implication of a plot to poison Maithripala.
Opinions of specialists :
2. Several opinions have emerged in regard to the presidents security
lapse :
In worlds history , nowhere has a security personnel of a VIP after the latter
leaves his post been retained as the security personnel of the new VIP .
Such a theory never exists. This is because the security contingent of the
first VIP is always loyal and partial towards the previous VIP and not
towards the successor. Yet , after the exit of Mahinda , when the option was
given to the security officers of Mahinda to leave or remain ,some of them
continued to remain , and served in the security contingent of Maithripala .
Such a thing never happens in the world.
3. The issue revolving around DIG Wickremesinghe is : When he was
providing security to ex president Mahinda Rajapakse , he maintained three
security rings around the ex president , and all the police officers even 200
meters away from Mahinda were dispossessed of their weapons. Then how
come such a security chief did not maintain that stringent security
pertaining to Maithripala ? When the Corporal ,( the suspect) was caught ,
how many meters away from president Maithripala was he?
4. This suspect was apprehended by an STF officer only after his coming
close to the president passing two security barriers . When this suspect
was caught he had in his possession an automatic 9 m.m. pistol fully loaded
. He was within shooting range of the president , and very close. When this
suspect who was apprehended and handed over to the PSD , based on
what confidence did Wickremesinghe give the order to release the suspect
? Just by learning that the suspect is Namal s security officer , did his
suspicions melt away ? Nevertheless , Namal later on told the media that
the suspect is not of his security detail. An M.P can have only ministerial
security division (MSD) officers , not army corporals, then how did
Wickremesinghe release the suspect without batting an eyelid ? After his
release , it is the STF officers who apprehended him again.
5. In the circumstances , serious doubts and suspicions have arisen relating
to the security detail of the incumbent president . Hence a fresh security
contingent is the best option. Those who are chosen should also be
screened cautiously based on the reports impartially furnished by the
intelligence divisions. In the future , the theory of whoever wishes can stay

, and others can leave should not be followed ,and avoided.

6. It is true that Maithripala and Wickeremesinghe are friends.
Wickremesinghe is the son of a farmer of Polonnaruwa who was selected
Govi Raja of Polonnaruwa ,and Maithripala has been helpful to him. Even
for Wickremesinghe s education even during the time when he entered
University Maithri has extended support. Later on , after his University
education , Maithri by speaking to Sirimavo Bandaranaike , secured for
Wickremesinghe an ASP post in the police. Yet , now Wickremesinghe is not
above suspicion for he had been serving under Mahinda for 18 years ,and
while he should have provided security to the VIP with extra caution and
whose safety he is in charge , he had seriously lapsed in his duty. He is
absolutely responsible for this failure .
Though Maithripala may allow room for a repetition of the same mistake ,
the people who elected him do not want that to happen. This is because the
people are well aware that these villainous Rajapakses are brutal
murderers , and have no qualms about killing even their closest friend if
that will serve their selfish power greedy aims. Moreover, the people are
also aware the Rajapakse venom and vengeance are not against Ranil but
mostly against Maithripala Sirisena and Chandrika Kumaratunge .
By a LeN special columnist
Translated by Jeff
--------------------------by
(2015-04-29 18:18:08)
Posted by Thavam