by Saman Indrajith

City Planning and Water Supply Minister and SLMC Leader, Rauff Hakeem yesterday questioned in Parliament on what grounds Justice and Buddhasasana Minister, Wijayadasa Rajapakshe stated on the previous day that Muslim extremists had arrived in the country to teach in international schools propagating terrorism here.

“Had he got proper sources? What he could have done was to provide them to the authorities so that such persons could have been deported or their visas cancelled.

Without doing so, he made statements which had been published in the media to the dismay of the Muslim community who have been greatly disturbed,” Minister Hakeem said while participating in the third reading debate on budget 2017.

Hakeem found fault with the media for publishing the statement made by Rajapakshe, who on Friday told Parliament that 32 Lankans had left the country to join ISIS in Syria.

Rajapakse warned that the government would take appropriate measures in accordance with the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) though a section of the international community was opposed to the implementation of the existing law.

He revealed that foreign intelligence services had reported that 32 Sri Lankans belonging to four families had joined the ISIS. Describing those who had joined the ISIS as members of well-to-do families of the Muslim community, the minister said that foreign extremists teaching at Muslim international schools in Beruwala, Kalmunai, Kala Eliya and Kurunegala propagated hate.

Minister Hakeem said: “The media should have been more considerate when reporting such a sensitive issue. Such reports could create unnecessary problems here. President Maithripala Sirisena summoned the heads of security sections and gave necessary instructions to prevent racism and extremism spreading in the country.”

Courtesy:Sunday Island