Arrests reveal eastern inciters' connections

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 July 2002, 19:42 GMT]
Police Thursday arrested a person believed to be working for Sri Lanka army intelligence for stoning and throwing bottles at a Tamil owned passenger van in the Muslim quarter of the Eravur town. Two persons were wounded in the attack Wednesday afternoon. On information given by the public the Police arrested Abu Salee Naseer (also known as 'Support' Naseer). Police said that Naseer was a soldier of the Sri Lanka army. However, his relatives in Eravur said that he now works for the military intelligence unit in Batticaloa.

Groups of the Muslim public in Eravur searched for Naseer Wednesday night to apprehend him and hand him over to the Police for inciting violence against the Tamils. Police sources said that there is a case against Naseer for smashing up a van belonging to the UNP MP, Mr. Alisahir Moulana two years ago.

The Eravur Police nabbed two of his accomplices too for attacking the passenger van Wednesday.

They said that 'Support' Naseer was involved in an attack on the house of the deputy principal of the Eravur Aligar Mahaviththiyalam on 07 December 2001. According to the Police, Deputy Minister for Housing, Mr. Basheer Segu Dawood and seven Policemen close to him were with Naseer when he attacked the principal's home in Eravuur.

The Police filed a case (No.GCB 194/35) at the time against those who attacked the principal's house at the time.