By Harischandra Gunaratna
National Patriotic Movement (NPM) Secretary, Wasantha Bandara yesterday said that the government should take precautions when investigating the killing of journalist Pradeep Ekneligoda as there was a conspiracy against the military intelligence personnel.
Claiming the on-going government action was a betrayal of the army intelligence officers , Bandara said exposing the identities of the intelligence personnel was part of the strategy of the foreign-backed conspirators. He said something similar had been done way back in 2002 when an army safe-house was raided at Athurugiriya.
Addressing the media at Abhayaramaya, Narahenpita, the NPM Secretary said a total of 128 officers and men attached the Army Intelligence and Special Forces had been killed by the LTTE owing to the Millennium City betrayal in 2001.
Bandara said some foreign governments and a notorious moneybag were funding the project to destroy the military intelligence so that they could put their other plans into action later on.
“With the help of the Millennium City raid the conspirators could only harm some of our military intelligence personnel. But, now they have broken into the inner cells of our intelligence network and are all out to destroy it.
Bandara said the separatist forces would adopt a new strategy to achieve their goal. They would instigate the people to stage protests and take on the military installation so as to make their operation look like a people power protest. “Destroying the military intelligence on the pretext of various probes is the first step towards that end, the NPM secretary said, urging the public to remain vigilant.