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| Wednesday, 28 July 2004 |
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New sophisticated measures to combat crime by Asanga Warnakulasuriya The Government yesterday introduced a series of new sophisticated measures to beef up security in Colombo and suburbs designed to combat the current crime wave. The new initiatives followed a special directive by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga for measures to revise the present security set-up in the wake of the rise in the incidents of violence in the city and suburbs. Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Law and Order Tilak Ranaviraja yesterday disclosed that specially trained "invisible" squads comprising STF trained Police personnel will be deployed to identify and arrest persons involved in suspect activities. These squads will be equipped with sophisticated communication equipment to enhance their penetration into terrorist communication networks, Ranaviraja said at a media briefing at the Ministry yesterday. The Rapid Deployment squad under Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) Director SSP Sarath Lugoda will investigate and collect information of suspected terrorists trying to enter Colombo and those who posses weapons, IGP Indra de Silva said. Speaking at the media briefing, the Ministry Secretary pointed out that the lack of communication between the Police and the public had also led to a weakening of intelligence. The Government upon detecting such loopholes in the system had given instructions to the Police to set up a communications centre at the Mirihana Police where the public islandwide can provide vital information to the Police regarding suspected terrorist activities by dialling 119. All such information will be recorded and within five minutes the respective DIG will be immediately informed, he added. Questioned on the possibility of bringing back the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), Ranaviraja stressed that the Government has no intention of re-introducing the PTA or effect any other amendment in the context where the Government was wholly committed to uphold the Ceasefire Agreement. The Ministry of Public Security is also reviewing the current practice of issuing passports on a single day due to security exigencies as the present system does not provide for screening applicants properly. Sri Lanka is the only country where passports are issued on a single day. "The CID have apprehended a few suspected criminals who tried to flee the country taking advantage of the one day passport issuing system," the Secretary said. The CID is currently scrutinising the Department of Registration for alleged malpractices which had resulted in terrorist infiltrations into the city. Steps have been taken to transfer every single officer who had been in service for more than three years at the Department of Registrations due to alleged corruption. |
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