Untitled Document

Front Page

Inquiry on as missing man returns home
By Chris Kamalendran
The man who was supposedly abducted by Tamil rebels early this week nearly sparking off another backlash between Tamils and Muslims in the already volatile Eastern province is under investigation after he turned up at his home on Friday.

Mohamed Abdul Wajeed (24), the brother of an EPDP activist went missing from his home at Aladivembu, off Akkaraipattu on Tuesday morning raising tension in the area, drawing protests from Muslims who called for a hartal.

On Friday, soon after a curfew imposed in the area was lifted the youth had turned up. Police backed by the Army and the STF had carried out a major search operation in the area overnight.

The search operation was mounted hours after Health Minister P. Dayaratne who represents the Ampara district presided over a conference to review the security situation there, attended by Army, Police and STF personnel and politicians in the area, LTTE area representatives were among those present. The absence of SLMC members who represent the area was conspicuous.

CID officers flown in from Colombo yesterday began their investigations and police were in the process of recording the statement of Abdul Wajeed who claims he was taken away from a relative's house.

'He claims he was locked up for three days in an empty house and thereafter brought in a three-wheeler and dropped at his home on Friday morning. We are trying to ascertain who has been responsible for his abduction', a senior police officer in the area said.

Whether the abduction was carried out by rebels or by another group, in a bid to create communal tension, is being investigated. Wajeed's friends are among those taken into custody for questioning.

On Friday morning Interior Ministry Secretary M.N. Junaid along with senior military and police officials visited the area to further review the security situation and decide on necessary measures to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

This incident was among a series of incidents in the area which has upset the security situation in the area. In some incidents LTTE involvement has been clear, but in some there have been doubts about the persons responsible.

Meanwhile, the Government has appointed a committee of inquiry to investigate the attack on the Kanchurankudah STF camp and named Air Vice Marshal (Rtd.) Harry Goonatilleke as chairman of the Committee. It is due to hand over the report on October 30.

Back to Front Page