Because of tight security at Dehiwala church, Engineer-assailant commits suicide at lodge -- Couple not involved ... embrace death in the meantime!

Because of tight security at Dehiwala church, Engineer-assailant commits suicide at lodge -- Couple not involved ... embrace death in the meantime!

The bomb which was exploded without any particular motive was reported from Dehiwala when considering bomb attacks last Sunday. It was the suicide-bomb blast which took place in a room in the lodge by the name of New Tropical Inn near Dehiwala Zoological Gardens. 

The incident comes to be known as an instance where the said bomb assailant's target of prey unfortunately misfired in his attempt to blast the bomb at a leading Catholic church in Dehiwala. Subsequently he has returned to the place where he was lodging and thus committed suicide. On this
occasion, a couple elsewhere in the next room unfortunately had embraced death in the process. This couple who were temporarily staying in an adjoining room where the bomb assailant committed suicide became victims of the bomb and on being taken to Kalubowila hospital were pronounced dead already. 

Two three-wheel drivers who provided transport facility to the suicide bomber and owner of the lodge were taken into custody last night (22) and on information supplied by them, further information was extracted about the assailant. 

The assailant who committed suicide has been identified as one Abdul Haleef Jamil Mohommed, 31 years of age and was resident at Wellambada, Kandy. Police found out that he was an aircraft engineer and that he was stationed overseas for a period of time and had come to reside in Sri Lanka. 

After several bomb incidents were reported all over the island on 21st morning, at about 1030 in the morning Jamil Mohommed has boarded a three-wheeler in Wellawatta and has inquired from the driver of a lodging-place in Dehiwala. Subsequently the driver has dropped him at New Tropical Inn lodge had gone away. Jamil who spent a few minutes in a room at this lodge had left the bag with the bomb in his room and has proceeded on foot close to the Catholic church; police were able to secure evidence. 

Police say that he has moved about in this manner in two instances; but appears to have become scared of the security situation there. Police were told that security was provided to this church because on two  previous occasions the Dehiwala church had become vulnerable to thieves and therefore a police guard-post or something similar has been provided for safety of the church. With bomb blasts occuring one after the other in the morning hours at Kochchikade, Negombo and Batticaloa churches, security of Dehiwala Catholic church was strengthened already by that time. As a result he had dismissed his idea of creating an explosion of Dehiwala church. Having understood that he was not in a position to gain entry by carrying the bag with a bomb inside he has then retired to his lodge and on that occasion the employees there have developed a suspicion about his comportment. The assailant sensing it may have exploded the bomb as could be suspected to a large degree under these circumstances, police have said. 

Having set off the suicide bomb in the room which was reserved some hours ago; it resulted in the couple of lovers who were in the adjoining room being victimised by this bomb have died together on admission to hospital having sustained serious injury. Information regarding the young girl who died is being reported by now. She is a young girl aged 24 years from Uyankele, Panadura. She was attached to the labour department in the capacity of an assistant manageress and has told home-people that she was going for an external degree class at Nugegoda on Sunday and finally had to face this tragic fate in the process. 

On the particular day in question her mother had said that on the morning of the day in reference she had left the Panadura house to her Nugegoda class and after coming to hear of the uproarious situation in the country had called her over the phone and she was responded to saying that she is in the class. Whatever it is, she has had not even dreamt that her daughter was in the company of a boy friend. 

The dead girl's mother said this in tears: "My daughter loved her profession like her own life. He whole lie was spent on educational activities. Though employed, she did not stop educational activities as such. She was expected to appear for an examination at the campus on May 12th. She studied till night time. Then she would wake up at 5 in the morning and get ready to go to work. 

We used to drop her at Panadura bus-halt in the morning in our van. Later she would travel daily to her office at Maharagama across the expressway. On the day of this incident she actually was attending the Nugegoda class. That day around 11.00 in the afternoon I cautioned her saying that a bomb had exploded. She responded saying, "Don't worry amme ... sir is teaching". But later though we tried to get her on her mobile phone, there was no response. On other days she would call me and ask, "Did you take your medicine?" But then, doubting the situation we went to see her at Nugegoda. When we went to Nugegoda the class was closed. But her phone kept ringing even by that time. What I thought was that she has met with some accident. It was only later that we came to know as to what had happened". Her final rites are to be held on 25th Thursday this month.