The article by the Defence Correspondent on the assassination of Lt. Col. Nizam Muthaliff of the Intelligence Unit of the Military in last Sunday’s Island contain several factual inaccuracies which need to be corrected in the public interest, states a press release issued by Tissa Attananayake, Deputy General Secretary UNP.
The overall impression this article seeks to portray is that the UNF Government’s operation against the "Safe House" at Athurugiriya which sheltered elements of the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) made members of the Intelligence Unit vulnerable to LTTE attack.
The raid on a house at Millennium City", Athurugiriya, was made by the Police on an order issued by the Magistrate Teldeniya in respect of the inquiry relating to the Udathalawinna massacre. The search was made after informing the Commander of the Army, and the Police party was accompanied by an Army officer. The raid revealed the name of one Army officer — Capt. Nilam, 2 Sergeants and 2 Corporals, who belonged to the Military Intelligence. No list of Intelligence Operatives belonging to the Military Intelligence was found in this house at Millennium City, Athurugiriya. Brigadier Kapila Hendawitharana, Director Military Intelligence was present at the Military Police Headquarters, Narahenpita, when the Police party arrived from Athurugiriya.
Capt. Nilam was identified by the LTTE in 2000. He was therefore transferred to Colombo in 2001 and was attached to the Forward Intelligence Cell which operated from a "Safe House" at Battaramulla. This "Safe House" at Battaramulla was exposed and within a few months the Cell was relocated at the Kohuwela Army Camp. A month before the incident, 3 Operatives belonging to Capt. Nilam’s Intelligence Unit were killed in Batticaloa by a suicide bomber while at the "Safe House". Therefore the LTTE was aware of Capt. Nilam’s operations long before the Ceasefire. It is for this reason, that the Ministry of Defence instructed the Army Commander to ensure the safety of the Officers.
Major Muthaliff did not belong to the Military Intelligence at that time. Major Muthaliff belonged to the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) which was part of the Commandos/Special Forces another arm of the Army fighting establishment, and was engaged in operations in the North.
The fact is, that at no stage was the existence of Units engaging in covert operations against the LTTE brought to the notice of either the then Prime Minister or the Minister of Defence who had the official authority and responsibility to Parliament for such an initiative however productive it might have been. The fact again is that these Units covered covert operations unknown to the new government which was engaged in recommencing the peace process. The Army Commander at that time, when the Christmas ceasefire was announced on 24th December 2001, had instructed these Units to call off the covert operations. Details of this order were not given to the then Prime Minister or Defence Minister.
Indeed the informative Editorial titled "Unanswered Question" in the Sunday Island of 5th June 2005, makes the point that,
"there had been a massive failure on the part of the Military establishment of the day, that following the election of a new government, neither the Prime Minister nor the Defence Minister had been briefed of ongoing covert operations".
The Editorial continues that:
"If the government, at its highest levels, was aware of what was going on, the kind of blunders that were committed might arguably have been avoided."
I totally deny the veracity of the story that is incorrectly repeated whenever the Athurugiriya incident is reported, that lists of Intelligence operatives names were passed on to the LTTE. At no stage during the raid of the "Safe House" were any written or digital records of intelligence operatives found. Each Cell/Unit operated independently and was unaware of other Cells/Units operating in other parts. Only the Commander of the Army and the Director Military Intelligence were aware of all of the intelligence and covert operations. Nobody in their right minds would keep such a vital piece of covert operations in what was a ‘civilian’ location outside the Army Headquarters.
Indeed the present Defence Ministry, the Army and the Police Departments should be challenged to let the public know of the investigations made by those institutions into whether, and if so how, the names of the intelligence operatives ended up in the hands of the LTTE, if indeed this was the case.
What is of utmost importance today in the context of what happened to Major Muthaliff on 31st May, is to have the Government explain why in the course of the last 20 months of their administration, i.e. from 4th November 2003 when the Ministry of Defence was taken over by the President, nothing has been done to give protection to the Intelligence officers who have provided such a valuable and decisive service to the country. This is a matter of the gravest importance requiring an explanation from the government of the day.
(http://www.island.lk/2005/06/12/features9.html)
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