Simultaneous Gang Attacks: President Reveals Conspiracy

COLOMBO (News 1st); In a powerful address, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed the deep-rooted connections between politicians and criminal gangs, highlighting the urgent need for action against these networks.

"If you stand up and mention the name of a criminal, I can name the politician connected to that particular criminal. This is the truth. This is no secret. It is an open secret that the public of this country is aware of. They even know under which political leadership these criminal gangs flourished," President Dissanayake stated.

The President expressed concerns over recent violent incidents, including the triple murder of a man and his two children in Middeniya, the courtroom shooting in Hultsdorf, the shooting in Kotahena, the murder in Uswetakeiyawa, and the theft of a weapon from the Mount Lavinia Court. He noted that, apart from the Minuwangoda shooting, these incidents were committed by five criminal gangs that have simultaneously become active.

"We have identified two other instances where armed activation can occur: one in Batticaloa and the other in the north. We believe there is a planned conspiracy behind the simultaneous activation of these elements," he added.

President Dissanayake emphasized the existence of a parallel criminal state beneath the surface of the legal state, involving armed groups, police officers, military personnel, judicial officers, and lawyers who side with these gangs. "The NPP government will confront these criminal gangs and eliminate them," he asserted.

He also highlighted the involvement of police officers in criminal activities, citing the arrest of a police constable in connection with the Middeniya triple murder and two police officers in the courtroom shooting. A T-56 assault rifle stolen from the Mount Lavinia Police was handed over to underworld gangs, protected by the political mechanism.

"A total of 73 T-56 assault rifles were moved from a military camp and given to the underworld. Thirty-five of those weapons have been seized, and another 38 need to be recovered. These weapons were not purchased during our tenure but before. Investigations were launched before our tenure, but the former government ordered an end to the investigation. The son of one president was issued seven weapons by the government," President Dissanayake revealed.