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| Iqbal Athas threatened to be killed at Wijaya Newspapers |
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(Lanka-e-News, 2007 August 28, 6.30 PM) An individual identified himself as a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) official came to the Lankadeepa editorial yesterday and threatened Sunday Times defense columnist Iqbal Athas and the Sinhala translator of the column W.G. Gunarathna would face the fate of uncaring Tamil National Alliance MP Nadaraja Raviraj faced.
The individual clad in civilian clothes climbed up the third floor of Wijaya Newspapers where the Lankadeepa editorial is located and introducing himself as a SLAF official said to Mr. W.G. Gunarathna to inform Iqbal Athas to suspend writing his column or face extinction within three months. He further threatened to Mr. Gunarathna to suspend translating the column reminding MP Raviraj had to pay for not caring such warnings.
The person obtained permission to go to Lankadeepa editorial stating that he would give information of a story pertaining to Katunayaka Airport.
Lankadeepa Provincial News Editor Mr. Gunarathna is a bilingual senior journalist who earlier worked as the News Editor of Dinamina newspaper.
The police protection provided to Iqbal Athas was withdrawn two days after Sunday Times on 12 August revealed crucial facts regarding the Mig-27 deal.
Unidentified motorcyclists followed Athas's vehicle, suspicious vehicles were seen near his house and he was repeatedly threatened over the phone after the security was withdrawn.
Mr. Athas first revealed frauds related to the purchasing of four Mig-27 aircrafts and several articles he wrote on this took the issue to the parliament and the government finally agreed to appoint a select committee to look into the matter due to pressure from the opposition.
Athas who is also the Advisory Editor of the Sunday Times did not write his column last week due to threats and restrictions. A special political writer wrote an account of threats faced by Mr. Athas after the articles regarding the Mig-27 deal were published and the steps taken by the former President Cahandrika to provide security for him.
The writer mentioned about a plan to search Mr. Athas's house for the documents pertaining to Mig deal in the guise of house to house checks and warned about an attempt to abduct Mr. Athas. |
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