We did not form anti-Islamism - Gnanasara Thero

To respond to the allegations made recently in Parliament by Minister Bimal Rathnayake against the Bodu Bala Sena organization, the Secretary of the organization, Venerable Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, held a special press conference. He vehemently rejected the accusations that the Rajapaksa government provided money to the Bodu Bala Sena organization to create anti-Muslim sentiment, and that this opened the way for Islamic extremism.

Venerable Gnanasara Thero challenged the government to immediately reveal to the country through which accounts such money was provided, if it was indeed given, since the current government now holds power. He pointed out that making such false statements under the guise of parliamentary privileges for political gain is a grave error, and that various political parties are working to suppress the true nature of Islamic extremism operating in this country.

He emphasized that his organization began raising its voice regarding Islamic extremism in this country in 2012, based on requests received from traditional Sufi Muslims. It was revealed at the press conference that Sufi Muslim people had informed the Bodu Bala Sena organization in writing about the oppression they faced from Wahhabis, and even before that, in 2007, the then Western Province Governor Alavi Moulana had issued a prior warning that Wahhabism posed a serious threat to national security in this country. Recalling the attacks on places of worship and leaders of traditional Muslims in several areas including Kattankudy and Thihariya in 2004 and 2006, he stated that all government intelligence agencies as well as political parties were well aware of this extremist development.

Venerable Gnanasara Thero accused that no party in the main political stream, including the National People's Power, has properly discussed this real Muslim extremist crisis, and that they are constantly concealing the truth with the aim of gaining power. He presented facts with photographs and evidence that individuals like Ibrahim, linked to the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, as well as those like Fazlul Haq, accused of nurturing extremism, have maintained direct ties with major political parties. Furthermore, he pointed out that the country had to experience a tragedy like the Easter attacks due to efforts to suppress those who speak out about real extremism by branding them as racists, and that extremist groups have subtly used all governments to implement their agendas.

The Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, stating that the search for the true masterminds of the Easter attacks has become politicized, emphasized that the issue of Islamic extremism should be removed from politics and analyzed intelligently. He commended the book recently unveiled by Member of Parliament Udaya Gammanpila, which analyzes reports related to the Easter attacks, and expressed gratitude to him for summarizing over fifty thousand pages of information and presenting it to the nation. Furthermore, Venerable Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero further stated at this press conference that he is preparing to present a detailed revelation, containing all information about who the mastermind of the Easter attacks is and the true nature of extremism, to the country as an 'intellectual missile' in the near future.