News
Hakeem explains story behind Zahran video
View(s):Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader and Minister Rauff Hakeem yesterday (19) denied allegations levelled against him over a video in circulation alleging he has links to Easter Sunday attack mastermind Zahran Hashim.
Addressing a rally of New Democratic Front Presidential (NDF) candidate Saijith Premadasa, in Hathareliyadda, Galagedera in Kandy, Mr Hakeem said the video had been taken in the immediate aftermath of the 2015 Parliamentary Election.
He said “goons” working for M.L.A.M. Hizbullah had gone on the rampage after he secured a National List seat for himself in Parliament, carrying out violent attacks on rivals, causing much damage and losses to their business outlets, belongings and dwellings.
Minister Hakeem said he was approached for help, which led him to visit the locations of those incidents and the affected in hospitals, and the video depicts him listening to their grievances.
He claimed that Zahran is spotted among such a group of people who met him, on one of his many such visits to the area that year, as evident in the video clipping. He claimed the video had been released with the “malicious intent” of marring the NDF’s presidential campaign and fuelling communal hatred.