WikiLeaks: Muslim Militancy In Sri Lanka – Four Groups Based In Colombo – Former US Intelligence Officer

“(C/NF) Source reported there are four primary Muslim groups based in Colombo: Sri Lanka Jamthi Islam, Thauhid Jamath, Thableeq Jamath, and Jamathi Muslim.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable discusses Muslim militancy in Sri Lanka. The cable is classified as “CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN” and written on June 09, 2004. The cable is signed by the US Ambassador to Colombo Jeffrey J. Lunstead.The ambassador wrote; “(C/NF) On 6/01/04, RSO and RSO/FSNI interviewed former Directorate of Internal Intelligence (DII) desk officer M.I. CADER (Source) at Embassy Colombo (cell phone 0777-598768, email [email protected].co.in). Source was a former police academy classmate of the RSO/FSNI, is recently retired and now working in the private sector. As a desk officer in DII, Source’s last assignment was with a Muslim domestic intelligence unit. Recently,
RSO and FSNI facilitated Source finding employment in the private sector, therefore the relationship could be described as cooperative. Source provided the following uncorroborated information on militant Muslim organizations and activities in Sri Lanka. ““Source reported that Muslim groups in eastern Sri Lanka have been visited by Pakistani organizers, and that Muslim youths have attended camps in Sri Lanka with names like Jihad, Ossama, Sadam, etc. These camps teach self-defense, but are not known to train in use of firearms. Source reported that some Sri Lankan Muslims have left Sri Lanka to fight in jihads abroad. Others are sent to Saudi Arabia to work or attend college. One NGO in Sri Lanka that helps fund these activities is the Saudi-based World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), headed locally by a Sudanese national named Omar Idris DIRAR.” the Ambassador further wrote.“Source suggested that the primary reason for Muslim militancy in Sri Lanka is to defend Muslims against Tamil  aggression in the east. Source outlined that the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress, a political party that won a total of 6 seats in the April Parliamentary elections, is supported by the loosely organized Islamic Unity Foundation (IUF). The IUF has about 125 core members and has military, intelligence, religious, and political wings. The political wing leader, Mohamed Ameer ALI, was elected to Parliament in the April elections under the President’s SLMC party. In addition, Source advised the IUF is believed to have weapons obtained from a variety of sources,