Former Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs, M. H.A. Haleem yesterday told the PCoI investigating the Easter Sunday attacks that although he had heard about the National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) by 2014, he didn’t think it was a violent organisation.
He said so when he was asked by the Counsel representing the Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, whether he had been aware of the NTJ during his tenure as Minister. Haleem also said that he didn’t know about Zahran before the Easter Sunday attacks.
Haleem said that he had not known what had happened in Kattankudy until the Easter Sunday attacks.
HomeBreaking NewsMP Haleem unaware NTJ was a violent organisation MP Haleem unaware NTJ was a violent organisation 14 December 2020 11:12 pm - 7
Former Minister of Muslim Affairs M.H.A. Haleem today informed the PCoI probing Easter Sunday Commission though he was aware of National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ), he did not know that it was a violent organisation.
Testifying before the Commission, MP Haleem said that he was unaware of Aliyar Junction clash in Kattankudy in 2017 and about Zahran Hashim before Easter Sunday attacks.
He added that Thowheed Jamaat followers do not know how to interact with people of their own, and they were always trying to create conflicts.