US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1810

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001810 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
TERREP 
 
DS FOR DS/DSS/ITA AND DS/IP/NEA/SA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6 (X1) 
TAGS: ASEC, CE, PTER 
SUBJECT: WALK-IN DESCRIBES MUSLIM EXTREMIST ACTIVITIES IN 
SRI LANKA 
 
 
Classified By: RSO Alex Moore - Exempt from Declassification.  Reason: 
1.6 (X1) 
 
1. (C/NF) Summary - On 10/14/03 and again on 10/15/03, RSO 
interviewed an unknown walk-in Source of undetermined 
reliability who claimed to have information on several 
aspects of Muslim radicalism in Sri Lanka.  The information 
included the name of a passport vendor in Colombo who 
provides false passports to Muslim terrorists, some of whom 
are allegedly now in the U.S., information on a group of 
radical Muslim students at a local university in Colombo, 
information on Muslim police connections to Muslim terrorist 
groups in the Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, and information 
on a Muslim terrorist training camp in the Eastern Provinces. 
 End Summary. 
 
2. (C/NF) On 10/14/2003, an unknown Source phoned Embassy 
Colombo and spoke with the RSO regarding radical Muslim 
activities in Sri Lanka.  An appointment was made for the 
Source to come to the North Gate of the Embassy to be 
interviewed at 1630 hours.  The Source came at the appointed 
time and identified himself as Mohamed Ilyars Mohamed HUNU 
(father's name NOONU), DPOB 12/15/1972 - Sri Lanka, National 
Identity Number 723501008V, SL PPT# L0130138.  Source 
provided two phone numbers: 034-2277851 and 94-1-222-2787. 
Source claimed to be a police bodyguard for the Sri Lankan 
Minister of State for Housing in the Eastern Provinces 
1991-94, but was currently unemployed and a father of three 
children.  He also produced documentation as a former worker 
in private security in the U.A.E. 
 
3. (C/NF) Source indicated that he had information on 
operations and activities of radical Muslims in Sri Lanka, to 
include the name of a passport vendor in Colombo who provides 
false passports to terrorists, the existence of a group of 
radical Muslim students at a local university, links between 
Muslim Police and extremist Muslim groups in the Eastern 
Provinces of Sri Lanka, and information on the existence of a 
Muslim terrorist training camp in the Eastern Provinces. 
 
4. (C/NF) RSO pressed the Source for details on the passport 
vendor in Colombo, and the Source advised that the name of 
the vendor was Ilyars Hajy Faleel HAJY.  HAJY was the son of 
a former Muslim Minister in the government and, in addition 
to the fraudulent passport operation, is a gem dealer. 
Source claimed that HAJY takes Sri Lankan passports with 
Muslim names and changes them to Sinhalese names.  The Source 
also alleged that HAGY has forged passports for terrorists 
from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, some of whom are 
already in the U.S.  Source could not provide additional 
details on this last claim, but Source offered to provide a 
sample of HAJY's forgeries the following day.  (On 10/15/03, 
Source returned to the Embassy and provided a second passport 
#M1091886 containing his photo in the name of Mohamed Imtiyaz 
Mohamed FULAIL, with a DOB 03/02/1973.  He said the passport 
cost him 30,000 Rupees or $300.  Source also produced a 
second National Identity Card #730624786V using that name. 
Both appeared authentic. He also produced a copy of a visa to 
the U.A.E in the name Mohamed Fulail Mohamed.  In addition, 
Source provided an address for the document vendor as an 
apartment building owned by his father named the SATHOSA 
BUILDING on Galle Road near a 3-Star gas station.) 
 
5.  (C/NF) Source then stated that he knew of a group of 
about 100 radical Muslim students at Jayawardana Pura 
University in Colombo who were associated with the extremist 
group "Jihad."  After some thought, he identified one member 
of the group as Mohamed Ansar MINSAR, whose father may be 
Mohamed Farook FAHIM or Fahim FAROOK.  Source provided cell 
phone numbers for MINSAR as 0777-405-805 and 0777-405-186. 
Source claimed this "Jihad" group is connected to terrorist 
training operations in the Eastern Provinces, and some of the 
students have been under contract with the "Jihad" leadership 
to develop anthrax. 
 
6.  (C/NF) Finally, Source indicated that Muslims, 
increasingly frustrated at armed attacks by the LTTE in the 
East, have formed a militant training camp near Batticaloa 
for the purpose of defending against the LTTE and to strike 
against Western interests, including the U.S.  Source stated 
that Iraqis were in the camp, which is supported partially by 
Sri Lankan Muslims working in Kuwait and sending money to 
"Jihad."  The camp gets some of it weapons from supportive 
Muslim police in the region.  Source provided the name of one 
of the Police Chiefs as "Majeed."  The Source also identified 
Muslim Minister Rauf Hakeem as a supporter of this camp. 
 
7.  (C/NF) When asked why he was providing this information, 
Source indicated he was unemployed and had a family to 
support.  Source offered to "work" for the embassy and 
suggested he be allowed to travel to the East to get more 
details on the camp.  RSO replied that the details of his 
information would be checked and the Embassy would contact 
him if further information was needed. 
 
8.  (C/NF) RSO action/comment:  RSO will attempt to use local 
contacts to verify information regarding the passport vendor 
and the existence of a "Jihad" group of students at the 
university.  Information regarding terrorist training in the 
East will be forwarded to local contacts for further 
investigation.  Results will be forwarded as received.  This 
is the second walk-in in two weeks with information regarding 
extremist Muslim activity in Sri Lanka.  We will continue to 
monitor increasing Muslim frustration with LTTE attacks 
against Muslims in the East as one possible indicator of 
growing radicalism on the part of Muslims in Sri Lanka. 
 
LUNSTEAD