"The man who led the notorious 'Tripoli Platoon' is in parliament" - SJB's Nalin Bandara

COLOMBO (News 1st); A Sri Lankan opposition legislator has called on the government to immediately investigate the notorious 'Tripoli Platoon', whose existence was further verified via the claims made by the recently released Channel4 program.

Channel 4's Dispatches recently released a program to reveal shocking details over the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, which it says alleges complicity by officials from the government.

The program contained details related to the Easter Sunday terror attacks as well as the assassination of the Editor of the Sunday Leader, the late-Lasantha Wickrmetunge.

Claims made by Hanzeer Azad Maulana, who at one-time was the Spokesperson and Finance Secretary of present-Sri Lankan State Minister Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan also known as 'Pillayan' or 'Pilliyan' were included in the program.

Hanzeer Azad Maulana claims that he and Pillayan met then-Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa when asked to form a paramilitary death squad called 'The Tripoli Platoon.'

Former Police Inspector Nishantha Silva, also featured in the program revealed details on the investigation surrounding the murder of Lasantha Wickremetunge that led him to 'The Tripoli Platoon'.

"Along with other information connected to the assassination, I identified five telephone numbers belonging to the members of the Tripoli Platoon, used for the murder of Lasantha Wickremetunge," he said in the program.

It was based on these claims that opposition parliamentarian Nalin Bandara on Friday (8) called for an immediate investigation in to the existence of the 'Tripoli Platoon.'

"Channel4 mentioned the Tripoli Platoon. This group was responsible for the killing of Lasantha Wickremethunge, and the present president also mentioned the Tripoli Platoon in 2020. Azad Maulanan was part of the Tripoli Platoon. Therefore, it is a serious fact to note that the Tripoli Platoon was in fact led by a person who is currently representing parliament," he told parliament.

"It was MP Pillayan who gave leadership to the Tripoli Platoon. It is mentioned that this movement is still functioning. A protest took place opposite the UK High Commission in Colombo. This protest was also organized by intelligence personnel," he said.

The protest that the MP was referring to was one organized on Thursday (7) by National Movement To Build The Nation & Reconciliation opposite the UK High Commission in Colombo against the conduct of Channel 4.