The rise of Wahabism in Sri Lanka and its links to criminal elements in the east of Sri Lanka are causing concern to mainstream Sri Lankan Muslims. Over the years, Wahabism has also grown into a militant organization in the east. Wahabists trained in Sri Lanka are sent to UK and Australia in the guise of students.
The Sri Lankan government too is concerned as this militant movement has international ramifications. It is a deviant cult not followed by the majority Muslims in the world and is bankrolled by foreign elements, according to informed Muslims. Wahabism emerging as a threat to Sri Lanka’s security – Alavi Moulana, Governor of Western Province
The publication of the initial report (See 28 August Militant Wahabism beats other Islamic fundamentalists in Sri Lanka)provoked an angry response from the Wahabists who launched a propaganda campaign against the Asian Tribune.
We published an edited version of the statement issued by A. Rahman of the British College of Applied Studies BCAS, Colombo, Sri Lanka who claims to be its chairman. In his statement he has stated, "I request the AT to contact the Kattankudy police to verify the facts I have referred to here regarding our campaign method and positive impacts we created."
As requested, Asian Tribune contacted Kattankudy police and other neighboring police stations in Sri Lanka and also talked to many people not only in Kattankudy but in the adjacent villages and we decided to file our findings which are as follows:
The families of Rahman and Faleel ul Haq in the beginning were in dire financial straits. Even when both entered the Engineering faculty at the University of Peradeniya, according to reports from Kattankudy, their families' financial condition was at rock bottom. It was during this time that Jamiya Naleemiya Islamic College (JNIC) recruited these two students into the Wahabist movement. Rahman and Faleel were recruited by Mansoor Osthathu of Kandy, a lecturer in JNIC in Beruwela. JNIC had established links through Dharul Akram, a Sri Lankan Muslim organization, with Ihwarmul Muslimeen founded by Egyptian Hassan al-Banna. The executive members of this organization are known as “Naleem people” – all of whom are students of JNIC.
This organization was in need of a few engineering brains. Rahman and Haque were enrolled into this organization by Mansoor Osthathu.
These two recruits provided the technical brains and they introduced modern information technology (IT) to Wahabists who were hitherto not familiar with IT.
The Wahabists then set up Masjidul Umer Shareff (Mosque) Socio Economic Educational Rehabilitation Association (SEERA), an NGO. Subsequently, a Youth Federation, a radical organization absorbing Police Fiaz militant wing, was formed. It came under the leadership of Rahman.
Fiaz in the beginning was a Jihadist who later was trained as a Home Guard. Faiz had his own armed wing. This group was responsible for the Killing of Moulavi Farook in 1998 on the orders of Aliyar ‘Riyaphi’ of Islamiya - Centre for Islamic guidance. Aliyar was a graduate from Al Medina University in Saudi Arabia, who was responsible in a big way for the spread of Wahabism in Kattankudy before Rahman took over the command. During this period Fiaz functioned as an ordinary member, engaged in contract killing.
In the meantime, under name of MFCD of the Dharul Akram, an NGO registered with the Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry, Wahabism began to spread its tentacles all over the island. In the Tsunami relief and rehabilitation operations, as well is in the ouster of Muslims from Muttur, this MFCD played a big role.
Unofficial reports indicate that Dharul Arkkam had a hand in the killing of the 15 Tamil workers from Action Fiam NGO on 05 August 2006. Except for one Abdul Latif Mohamed Jauffer (Male, Age 31) all the others killed were Tamils. The workers were trapped inside their Muthur branch office residence, located close to Muthur Cultural Centre. Investigations are proceeding on this aspect and this piece of information is yet to be conformed by Sri Lanka Government.
According to sources in Kattankudy, Abdul Rahman and Faleel ul Haq have been key Dharul Akram operators from the beginning. Furthermore, Abdul Rahman is known in Kattankudy as the leader of the Youth Federation.
Asian Tribune investigations also raised some unanswered questions about the Wahabists:
1. What are the funding sources available to Rahman to roam around Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Australia and Arab Countries like a multi-millionaire?
2. How was it possible for Abdul Rahman to own higher educational institutions, British College of Applied Studies in Dehiwela (Wellawatte, Colombo) as well as in Kandy? Who are the financiers behind this institution? If he was such a rich man did he ever declared his income to the Inland Revenue Department and is it possible for him to declare his income tax file number?
3. Is it possible for this instant millionaire who was the founder of Muslim Information Centre now based in London to come up with the names of all those share holders of this educational institution, with details of the invested share capital?
4. How was it possible for the Wahabist political organization, People’s Movement for Good Governance (PMGG) organized by Rahman to spend more than Rs. 5 million in the last local Government election held for the Urban Council of Kattankudy? Even though he spent such a big amount of money he only managed nearly 3000 votes to win two seats of the total of 9 seats.
Kattankudy people still remember the lavish spending of the PMGG and the colorful platforms and meetings they held during the local government elections.
5. Rahman claims himself to be a peace-loving person, then why did he run Police Fiaz and few of his murderous gang members as candidates in the local government election for the Kattankudy Urban Council?
6. What is the necessity for Rahman to patronize and safeguard Police Fiaz against whom there are more than 10 arrest warrants pending?
7. Even in the Tsunami relief and rehabilitation committee headed by Rahman, Fiaz and his criminal armed gang were playing a leading role. Why?
8. Fiaz gang was responsible for taking over by force all those relief items that were to go to the people, without going through the committee led by Rahman, and was handed to Rahman’s organization which were subsequently distributed to the activists of the organization.
9. Wahabism claims to preach pure religious ideology and forbids luxurious way of life, prostitution, Western culture. If so what is the necessity for exporting students to UK and Australia, the two countries which are deemed to be anti-Islamic by the founders of Wahabism.
10. To prove that they are true followers of pure Islam, they even went to the extent of reprimanding Dr. Rifaz, the MBBS qualified medical practitioner in Kattankuddy for accepting a dowry when he married. Then why was no action taken against Rahman by the Kattankudy Federation of Youth organization for defiling the very spirit of Wahabism by exporting to students to countries which are opposed by Wahabism?
- Asian Tribune -
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