NEW DELHI: A former head of Sri Lanka’s military intelligence and close aide of the Rajapaksa family is allegedly trying to hinder probes by various countries into the deaths of their citizens in the recent terror attacks at China’s behest. China fears the investigations would allow many countries to expand their presence in the island nation and adversely affect Chinese interests there. Sri Lanka, while absent from the second edition of the BRI summit, is a key pillar in Beijing’s strategic interests in the Indian Ocean region, building infrastructure including the Hamabantota port.Following the April 21 suicide attacks and bombings, including at the Shangri-La in Colombo , countries including the US sent their probe agencies to Sri Lanka to assist local investigators. Hendawitharana was dismissed by army commander Sarath Fonseka as an unqualified “logistics man” but was promoted to Major General by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the defence secretary under Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2006. He was brought back as chief of National Intelligence and given broad oversight over all Lanka’s intelligence agencies.

Source: Economic Times May 03, 2019 04:18 UTC