Police issues statement on V8 used by Zaharan

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police on Tuesday (19) issued a statement in response to claims that were made stating that the Land Cruiser SUV that was used by Zaharan Hashim, the terrorist who led the April Attacks, was used by a Minister later on.

Sri Lanka Police said that is had not seized any vehicles used by Zaharan Hashim.

However, the Criminal Investigations Department had sezied a SUV bearing registration number WP CAS 1411 that was used by Mohamed Ibrahim Inshaf Ahamed who carried out the suicide bombing at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel.

Sri Lanka Police said the SUV in question was confiscated by the state as per an extraordinary gazette, and was handed over to Sri Lanka Police.

Thereafter, it was handed over to the Sri Lanka Police Traffic Division, and later attached to the Police Special Task Force.

Earlier on Tuesday (19) Sri Lanka’s Former Minister of Public Security Rear Admiral (Retired) Sarath Weerasekera responding to SJB Parliamentarian Harin Fernando, who cited a tweet by a journalist that claimed Ex-Minister Sarath Weerasekera was using the Land Cruiser that was originally used by Zaharan Hashim of the NTJ, said the vehicle was attached to the Police Special Task Force, after it was confiscated by the state.

“I spoke to the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security after I was made aware of it this morning. He told me that this vehicle was seized by the state and handed over to the police,” said the Former Minister.