Interpol arrest Sri Lankan abductor in Dubai

By Jayampathy Jayasinghe

Interpol officers in Dubai arrested the mastermind who was responsible for several abductions and extortion rackets in Colombo where several wealthy businessmen suddenly disappeared last year.

The suspect, a Muslim businessman from Mawanella fled to a Middle Eastern country when CID sleuths were hot on his trail, CID sources told the Sunday Observer.

The mastermind had abducted several wealthy businessmen from Colombo with the help of Special Task Force men (STF) and Policemen and Air Force officers with alleged LTTE links.

The abducted businessmen were whisked away in white vans to far away places where they were detained for several weeks and threatened with death if they do not pay ransom money. Some of the businessmen were lucky enough to be released after paying huge sums of money.

According to CID sources the gang had extorted close to a sum of Rs 200 million from hapless victims. The CID finally alerted the Interpol Headquarters in Lyon, giving the description of the suspect. Altogether 14 persons who were involved in the abduction and extortion racket were arrested.

More suspects from the security forces are to be questioned in this regard, sources said. A special unit has been set up at the CID headquarters to deal with abduction cases. The unit is operational for 24 hours. Meanwhile a team of sleuths are looking for suspects involved in the abduction and killing of the ICRC officers from Batticoloa.