{"id":89008,"date":"2019-05-18T15:12:41","date_gmt":"2019-05-18T22:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=89008"},"modified":"2019-05-18T15:12:41","modified_gmt":"2019-05-18T22:12:41","slug":"cinnamon-grand-bombers-copper-factory-case-takes-a-new-turn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/05\/18\/cinnamon-grand-bombers-copper-factory-case-takes-a-new-turn\/","title":{"rendered":"Cinnamon Grand bomber\u2019s copper factory case takes a new turn"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Piyumi Fonseka Courtesy Daily Mirror<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Inside factory where terrorists plotted the Easter Sunday attacks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wellampitiya Police OIC Gamini Senarath Hewawithana had complained to\n the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) early this week demanding an \ninquiry against Colombo Magistrate Court Judge Priyantha Liyanage over \nthe release on bail of nine employees of the copper factory in \nWellampitiya.
\nIt was reported that the factory, which belonged to the Cinnamon Grand \nsuicide bomber Inshaf Ahamed, has been used to manufacture the \nexplosives which were used in the April 21st Easter Sunday terrorist \nattacks. Nine out of the ten suspects arrested on April 21, were \nremanded till May 6 and granted bail on two sureties of Rs. 500, 000 \neach due to insufficient evidence. However, Wellampitiya Police OIC has \ncomplained to the JSC, that despite objection from the police, the \nMagistrate has allegedly acted in a biased manner by taking his own \ndecision to release the suspects.
\nThe article is written on the complaint filed by the Wellampitiya OIC to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the search operation was launched<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The OIC received a call from the Director of the Colombo Crimes \nDivision (CCD) SP Udaya Hemantha on the night of Easter Day, ordering \nhim to search the copper factory in Wellampitiya. After locating the \nfactory, the OIC along with several other officers from the Wellampitiya\n Police visited the location and waited till CCD Director Hemantha \narrived at the scene. The team of police personnel thereafter surrounded\n the factory following orders of the CCD Director and arrested 10 \nsuspicious individuals among whom were 8 Muslims and a Sinhalese. \nAnother worker identified as a suspect was also taken into the custody \nof the CCD and the 9 others were taken to the Wellamptiya police station\n for questioning. Meanwhile, another suspect arrested by the STF on \nApril 22, for having close connections with the Cinnamon Grand bomber, \nwas also handed over to the
\nWellampitiya Police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charges filed Against Suspects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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On\n the following day (April 22), the ten suspects were produced in court \nand the police requested the court to remand them in order to obtain \ntelephone records for further investigations. Acceding to the request, \nthe court ordered the suspects to be remanded till May 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nWhen the case was taken up on May 6 before Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage\n at Colombo Magistrate\u2019s Court, the Wellampitiya Police submitted a \nfurther report on the progress of the investigations relating to the \narrested copper factory workers. Preliminary investigations caried out \nby the Police had found that the suspects had used 2-8 sim cards and \nthat the suspects had an obvious connection with the Easter Sunday \nattacks. This was said in the court. Preliminary investigations have \nfound that several suspects who were workers of the factory had \ntravelled during the recent past to various places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nAccording to the telephone records, it was found that one of the \nsuspects has had several telephone conversations with the factory owner \nand the Cinnamon Grand Hotel suicide bomber Inshaf Ahamed. It was also \nfound that the monthly salary of the 10th suspect arrested by the \nSpecial Task Force (STF) was Rs.30, 000 and the monthly rent payment of \nhis house is also the same amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The police version of what happened in court  <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nine out of the ten suspects arrested on April 21, were remanded till\n May 6 and granted bail on two sureties of Rs. 500, 000 each due to \ninsufficient evidence. It was alleged that the workers were released \nbecause the Wellampitiya Police failed to mention the offences the \nsuspects were alleged to have committed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nIn the JSC complaint, the OIC alleged that even when the above mentioned\n charges and findings of the preliminary investigation had been \npresented before the court, the magistrate disregarded the facts and \nstatements submitted by the police by releasing the suspects, who had \nbeen arrested on April 21 by the police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nHewawitharana further alleged that the verbal and written objections of \nthe police had also not been mentioned in the case file compiled by the \nmagistrate. Therefore, attorney Don Wasantha who appeared on behalf of \none of the suspects has submitted an affidavit to the JSC stating that \nthe Magistrate made the decision despite objection from the police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nFiling the B Report, the Wellampitiya Police have also informed the \nMagistrate that releasing the suspects would create public unrest and \ntherefore it was better to keep them detained pending investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“One of the suspects has had \nseveral telephone conversations with the factory owner and the Cinnamon \nGrand Hotel suicide bomber Inshaf Ahamed”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n


\nParallel to the police investigations, Terrorist Investigations \nDepartment (TID), Navy Intelligence Division and the Criminal \nInvestigations Department (CID) had also initiated separate \ninvestigations into the alleged involvement of the suspects to the \nEaster Sunday terrorist attacks. Therefore, the Wellampitiya Police \nOfficer requested the court to keep the suspects in remand owing to the \nfact that the Police, CID, TID and Navy Intelligence investigations into\n the case are still ongoing. The police referred to the Section 14 of \nthe Bail Act (No. 30 of 1997) when requesting the court to keep the \nsuspects in custody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nReasons for which court may refuse bail or cancel a subsisting order for release14.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding\n provisions of this Act, whenever a person suspected or accused of being\n concerned in committing or having committed a bailable or non-bailable \noffence, appears, is brought before or surrenders to the court having \njurisdiction, the court may refuse to release such person on bail or \nupon application being made in that behalf by a police officer, and \nafter issuing notice on the person concerned and hearing him personally \nor through his attorney-at-law, cancel a subsisting order releasing such\n person on bail if the court has reason to believe:\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 (b) that the particular gravity of, and public reaction to, the alleged offence may give rise to public disquiet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n The SIU decided on May 9 to launch an investigation into the matter \nwhere the court granted bail to the workers. It was alleged that police \nmay have erred by not filing the case under Prevention of Terrorism Act \nbecause the investigations were yet to reach that level. He said that \nwas why they requested more time from the magistrate to complete the \ninquiry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nThe complainant criticized that the officers of the Wellampitiya Police \neven had to testify before the SIU over the bailing out incident over \nthe investigation initiated against them. The residents in Wellampitiya \nwere still protesting outside the police station against the court \ndecision. Due to the current situation, the police face difficulty in \nmaintaining law and order in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nLast week, police Media Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said \ndisciplinary action would be taken against the personnel held \nresponsible, no sooner the report from the SIU was produced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  Comments – 2 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
  • \n \n \n\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRamal Friday, 17 May 2019 01:56 PM \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSwift action must be taken at least \nnow. Find out who is at fault whether the judge os the police later. \nBut rearrest the suspects and go ahead with the investigations. \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Dhammika Gunaratne Friday, 17 May 2019 07:00 PM <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Suspects of Terrorist acts and aiding and abetting such acts MUST be treated as GUILTY until proven INNOCENT .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n \n <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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