Asian Tribune bares malicious website

Colombo, 02 May, (Asiantribune.com): Asiantribune. com has carried a news item about a clandestine website carrying out a malicious campaign to tarnish the image of the country and its leaders.

Sri Lankans, both living in the country and abroad, have brought to the attention of the authorities the activities of a clandestine website that is carrying on a malicious campaign based on falsehood to tarnish the image of the country, its leaders, cause communal disharmony and pose threats to national security. They say this web portal; Lankanewsweb.com is operating secretly from the United Kingdom.

The man behind the clandestine operation is one Chandima Anil Withanaarchi, the registrant of this website. It is alleged that he is using the soil of United Kingdom for his clandestine activity.

It has come to light that he is a Sri Lankan who fled to the UK when the Mirihana Police wanted to question him on several complaints including forgery and embezzlement of funds. He has been running this anonymous website to slander Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, members of his family and Government. Grossly fabricated reports are published from time to time.

Recently this website published a slanderous news item even about the Asian Tribune Editor and the news report has been brought to the attention of the Norrteja District Court for information and necessary action. Action against this website was not possible earlier since they functioned secretly using only an e-mail address [email protected]. They did not respond to any representations made to them officially about the falsehoods they publish but continued a campaign of slander.

It has now been confirmed further that besides the website, British soil is used for a pernicious campaign against another sovereign nation, Sri Lanka.

That too is based on absolute falsehood and slander. A wealthy opposition businessman, once close to the LTTE and now the backer of an opposition political party, is funding this website to carry out anti-Government propaganda. Further it has now become public that this website is even funded by a notorious element from Norway too.

A local Sinhala journalist is functioning as advisor. He is assisting him in producing material and preparing reports using his official position in a newspaper. Some published reports are deliberately aimed at creating threats to national security. Other disgruntled elements who have been regularly feeding Withanaarachi with misinformation have been identified.

In the past months, Withanaaratchi has been appealing to several opposition members and local businessmen via telephone and over Skype contacts for funds to continue his clandestine operations. The public are aware of the many falsehoods they spread.

During the parliamentary election campaign, they deliberately doctored a speech made by the Sri Lanka President in Jaffna to suggest he made a slur on a minority community. This was to cause communal discord. On another occasion, they published a photograph of Namal Rajapaksa MP, son of the President and brazenly declared he was attacked with mud and stones. It was a fabrication.

The photograph used was one where a speeding vehicle in a motor rally splashed mud on his shirt as well as that of other bystanders. There are numerous other instances. The authorities say further details of the disinformation campaign will be revealed soon.

Asian Tribune