• He is a relative of those arrested over vandalising Buddha statues in Mawanella

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya 

The Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) detained Rashid Hajjul Akbar, the former President of Jama’ath-e-Islami organisation, who was arrested on charges of spreading Wahhabism in Sri Lanka. 

Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said the 60-year-old suspect is a resident of Mawanella and that was arrested on Friday in Dematagoda. 

According to the investigation, the suspect had written various articles about Wahhabism in the magazine ‘Alhasanath’ published by the Jama’ath-e-Islami organisation. 

The suspect held the position of the President of the organisation for a long period, and he has created the ideology of Wahhabism and jihad concepts, and he is one of the pioneers of that particular concept, he said.  “The suspect has cultivated Wahhabism in the minds of minority Muslims in Sri Lanka and has sown the seeds of disharmony among traditional Muslims and other groups,” the DIG said. 

Investigations revealed that the suspect was a relative of the suspects arrested over vandalising Buddha statues in Mawanella.  He also said the suspect was detained at the TID for further questioning under the terms of the provisions of prevention of terrorism act.