Halal certification money may fund terror activities: BBS

Sri Lanka may be the only country, where Halal certificates are issued for every commodity, while such Halal certificates are issued only for food items in other countries, Chief Executive of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organisation Dilantha Withanage said.

He said that there is a huge financial transaction in the process of issuing Halal certificates. These transactions are not monitored or audited. No one looks into what happens to the massive amount of money, he said.

The BBS has doubt whether the money collected from Halal certifications, is utilised for terror activities. It has been reported that the organization issuing Halal certificates, has donated money to the person, who had links with ISIS. That person was serving as a teacher in the Galewela area and died while abroad, Withanage said.

He made this comment during a press conference at Kirulapona yesterday.

Meanwhile, Withanage accused Co-Cabinet Spokesman Minister Rajitha Senarathne of leveling baseless allegations at the BBS and making false statements over the BBS’s stand on Halal certifications.

He added that Minister Senarathne has said that the BBS was engaged in the process of issuing Halal certificates. Withanage said that the BBS has never been involved in the process of issuing Halal certificates but revealed the racket behind the process.

“It is acceptable that if meat products, produced for the consumption of Muslims are subject to Halal certification. But in Sri Lanka not only meat products but all other commodities too is subjected to Halal certificates,” he said.

Previously the Halal certificates were issued by an organisation of Ulamas’ until the BBS revealed the racket in this regard. However, now the Halal certification is carried out by an institute known as the Halal Accreditation Council.

He said the process of Halal certification was initiated in Thailand.

The system was later introduced to Sri Lanka under the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime with the direct mediation of Basil Rajapaksa.