The Presidential Commission continued to question MP Rishad Bathiudeen over his links with the suicide bombers and their families who carried out the Easter attack.
This was when the Member of Parliament was contacted via Skype from the Magazine Prison yesterday to give evidence. There, the MP admitted that he had signed as a witness to the marriage of Inshaf Ahmed, the Cinnamon Grand Suicide Bomber.
The Presidential Commission appointed to investigate the Easter Attacks called on Parliamentarian Rishard Bathiudeen to testify for the first time yesterday.
At his request to testify in Tamil, a Parliamentary translator was called and Rishad Bathiudeen was called to testify in Tamil.
Senior State Counsel
"was there a person by the name of Alawdeen holding an official position in the All Ceylon Makkal Congress Party that you are leading?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"Yes. He was the treasurer of my party and then resigned as the deputy treasurer. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Who was his daughter married to?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"I came to know through the media that her husband was Inshaf Ahmed, one of the suicide bombers. I also attended their wedding. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Did you sign as a witness to their marriage?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"I must have signed me at the request of the former treasurer." I do not remember exactly. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Inshaf Ahmed, had taken calls to you?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
He had called my number. But I did not answer. My personal assistant had answered because I was out”
Presiding Judge of the Presidential Commission
"That means that Inshaf Ahmed had your phone number, didn't he?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"This is the thing your honour ... I have put all my phone numbers on my website. So anyone can get my number from it. ”
Presiding Judge of the Presidential Commission
"Don’t get too flustered. We are not asking to point a mistake. We just wanted to clarify. ”
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"No, sir, I said that because the media is here." This is what they will put in the headlines saying that the suicide bomber had my number. This media is waiting to end Muslim politics in the guise of extremism. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Did your brother Riaz Bathiudeen have a close relationship with Inshaf Ahmed?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
“He must have dealt with investments. But I do not know if they have met. They had requested to buy goods for their copper industry. In those early days, when things did not go as planned, Riaz was told by Inshaf that he will take him to court. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Do you know Mohammed Ibrahim, the father of the two bombers?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"Since I am the Minister of Industries, he has come and I have had discussions with him.”
Subsequently, the Presidential Commission questioned him regarding the inquiries he had made from the former Army Commander regarding a suspect arrested in Dehiwala after the Easter attack.
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
“I was a minister then. A father called me and told me that a group of masked men had come and taken his child away. He asked me to find out if the child is still alive. That is why I went to that house in Dehiwala. I did that because the person Muinuddin was an administrative officer. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Did you know that the son of the arrested Muinuddin was a supporter of Saharan's residential lectures and training?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"No. I still don't know. I am saying this responsibly ”
Senior State Counsel
"Did you call the former Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake on three occasions regarding Muinuddin's son and ask, 'Is there anything that can be done about him?'
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
It was not like that your honour. I first called the Dehiwala OIC and I was told that he had not been arrested. After that when I asked a SSP, he said that he also did not know anything. I asked then who were the masked men who would come and make an arrest. Then he said that he was not sure whether it was the army. That is why I called Mahesh Senanayake. I asked him if there was such a person still alive. When I found out that he was there, I did not speak again. ”
Witness Rishad Bathiudeen's further hearing was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
This was when the Member of Parliament was contacted via Skype from the Magazine Prison yesterday to give evidence. There, the MP admitted that he had signed as a witness to the marriage of Inshaf Ahmed, the Cinnamon Grand Suicide Bomber.
The Presidential Commission appointed to investigate the Easter Attacks called on Parliamentarian Rishard Bathiudeen to testify for the first time yesterday.
At his request to testify in Tamil, a Parliamentary translator was called and Rishad Bathiudeen was called to testify in Tamil.
Senior State Counsel
"was there a person by the name of Alawdeen holding an official position in the All Ceylon Makkal Congress Party that you are leading?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"Yes. He was the treasurer of my party and then resigned as the deputy treasurer. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Who was his daughter married to?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"I came to know through the media that her husband was Inshaf Ahmed, one of the suicide bombers. I also attended their wedding. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Did you sign as a witness to their marriage?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"I must have signed me at the request of the former treasurer." I do not remember exactly. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Inshaf Ahmed, had taken calls to you?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
He had called my number. But I did not answer. My personal assistant had answered because I was out”
Presiding Judge of the Presidential Commission
"That means that Inshaf Ahmed had your phone number, didn't he?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"This is the thing your honour ... I have put all my phone numbers on my website. So anyone can get my number from it. ”
Presiding Judge of the Presidential Commission
"Don’t get too flustered. We are not asking to point a mistake. We just wanted to clarify. ”
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"No, sir, I said that because the media is here." This is what they will put in the headlines saying that the suicide bomber had my number. This media is waiting to end Muslim politics in the guise of extremism. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Did your brother Riaz Bathiudeen have a close relationship with Inshaf Ahmed?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
“He must have dealt with investments. But I do not know if they have met. They had requested to buy goods for their copper industry. In those early days, when things did not go as planned, Riaz was told by Inshaf that he will take him to court. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Do you know Mohammed Ibrahim, the father of the two bombers?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"Since I am the Minister of Industries, he has come and I have had discussions with him.”
Subsequently, the Presidential Commission questioned him regarding the inquiries he had made from the former Army Commander regarding a suspect arrested in Dehiwala after the Easter attack.
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
“I was a minister then. A father called me and told me that a group of masked men had come and taken his child away. He asked me to find out if the child is still alive. That is why I went to that house in Dehiwala. I did that because the person Muinuddin was an administrative officer. ”
Senior State Counsel
"Did you know that the son of the arrested Muinuddin was a supporter of Saharan's residential lectures and training?"
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
"No. I still don't know. I am saying this responsibly ”
Senior State Counsel
"Did you call the former Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake on three occasions regarding Muinuddin's son and ask, 'Is there anything that can be done about him?'
MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody
It was not like that your honour. I first called the Dehiwala OIC and I was told that he had not been arrested. After that when I asked a SSP, he said that he also did not know anything. I asked then who were the masked men who would come and make an arrest. Then he said that he was not sure whether it was the army. That is why I called Mahesh Senanayake. I asked him if there was such a person still alive. When I found out that he was there, I did not speak again. ”
Witness Rishad Bathiudeen's further hearing was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
