Lankan President's Advisor rubbishes RAW assassination plot reports

New Delhi [India], Oct 17 (ANI): Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's Advisor and Coordinating Secretary, Shiral Lakthilaka, on Wednesday rubbished media reports that claimed President had named Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), for hatching an assassination plot against him.

“The President had spoken in general terms about secret services of countries attempting to assassinate leaders. This happens even in America, the President said, and added that the Prime Minister of India might not be aware of it. There was no mention of RAW at all,” Lakthilaka was quoted as saying in Lankan newspaper Sunday Times Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Later in the day it was also revealed that, during Cabinet Media briefing on Wednesday morning, Joint Cabinet Spokesperson Minister (Dr) Rajitha Senaratne also refuted the media reports and asserted that the President did not make any such statement claiming agent attached to India’s RAW service was involved in the alleged plot to assassinate the President.

The denial comes after some media reports carried a story saying President Sirisena had allegedly shocked his cabinet by accusing India of plotting to assassinate him during a weekly meeting. The media reports had surfaced days before the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to visit New Delhi. (ANI)