President received intel reports on another attempt at violent outbreak – Bandula

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has received intelligence reports detailing another attempt at creating public unrest similar to that of on May 09, 2022, Minister Bandula Gunawardena says.

The lawmaker, addressing the weekly press conference to announce Cabinet decisions on Tuesday (Aug. 08), said the Head of State has briefed the Cabinet of Ministers about the information he has received from the State Intelligence Service (SIS).

Cabinet spokesman said the intelligence reports have revealed that certain groups involved in the Aragalaya movement and affiliated with the opposition were planning to rekindle the events that took place on May 09 last year on the pretext of the prevailing drought, the electricity crisis and water shortage.

He mentioned that there were attempts to surround the residences of Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera adding that special security had to be provided to prevent such anticipated attacks.

Gunawardena went on to reveal that at least two media institutions were behind this move to bring back violence onto the streets using the drought-induced water crisis and the agitation of the farmers as an excuse.

Emphasizing that this is an attempt to destabilize the country, the minister said these certain groups were attempting to initiate a gunfire retaliation from the law enforcement and use the deaths of the people for political ends.