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Presidential revelation
confirms ‘The Island’ report
Visa information leaked out to kidnappers
‘We’ll ensure witness protection,
come forward with evidence’
By The Island News Desk
President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday said there was credible evidence
that there were instances of financial information furnished to foreign
embassies by visa applicants being leaked out to criminal elements responsible
for some of the abductions reported from various parts of the country.
Addressing a meeting of newspaper editors and heads of electronic media
institutions, President Rajapske said the government had information
that certain kidnappers had, in interrogating their victims, used virtually
carbon copies of financial documents submitted together with their visa
applications.
The presidential revelation comes four months after The Island exclusively
reported on January 16 in its main news item under the caption, ‘Visa
info leaked to kidnappers through embassy channel’, that visa information
was being leaked out to underworld elements through some embassies.
We said: "Speculation in the defence circles is that a gang involved
in a series of recent abductions may have access to documents handed
over to embassies through a third party to obtain travel documents.
The operation had come to light after the abduction and the release
of a person whose family had paid about fifteen million rupees to secure
his release." The gang had, we reported, asked him questions, which
he believed, were based on documents he had submitted to an embassy,
Visa information
containing details of his financial assets. Several others had had similar
experience but none had reported that matter to the police for fear
of reprisals.
Speaking further on abductions, over which the government has drawn
heavy flak from the international community, President Rajapakse said
the government had taken a number of steps to curb the reportedly high
incidence of abductions. Some arrests had been made and investigations
were being conducted into a number of cases. "I am in a position
to tell you with confidence," he said, "the situation is being
blown out of proportion. Some of the persons reported as abducted have,
in fact, gone abroad. We can prove that." He said in the case of
some complaints, the police had no way of conducting investigations
to a conclusion, as they had no access to those parts of the country
where the LTTE was operating. "When a person from Mullaitivu is
reported as missing, how can the police visit that area to verify the
information they receive?" he asked.
Asked what action had been taken against the suspects taken over the
killing of four Tamil youth in Trincomalee, the President said, the
police had made arrests acting on a telephone call and the suspects
had been kept in police custody for nearly two months for witnesses
to give evidence. "While they were being kept," the President
said, "I was inundated with letters and calls from their parents
and friends demanding to know why we were holding them without any evidence
against them. You should understand my position. On one hand I am under
pressure to safeguard human rights and when I order the arrest of suspects
and keep them in custody, I am asked why I am doing so without any evidence
against them."
He said the government was ready to ensure witness protection and urged
the public to give evidence. Not even the TNA parliamentarians had come
forward, he said.
Asked about the Eastern University Vice Chancellor S. Ravindranath
who has gone missing since December 15 last year, the President said
the police had not abandoned the search for him. "The situation
is very complicated," he said, "there are various groups operating.
Even with the LTTE there are factions, as you know. If you think all
Tigers are Tamil you are mistaken. There are Sinhalese and Muslims working
for them. The incident reported from Polonnaruwa involving a lawyer
is a case in point. The calls demanding money had originated from London.
Mind you, I am telling you this not by way of an excuse. It is our responsibility
to put and end to abductions and we are working towards that. We are
also arresting suspects and I don’t deny that fact. We have to
resort to such measures as we are legally bound to do so to protect
the country.
The President said a high level probe had been ordered into the recent
disappearances reported from the North.
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