• Ruwanweliseya false alarm
• SriLankan flight incident linked to Indian warning
• Russian Embassy incident under investigation

A German national was arrested earlier last week in connection with a mysterious incident involving the handing over of a laptop to a security officer attached to the Russian Embassy in Colombo, triggering concerns about potential security threats.

The incident occurred on 28 April, when a foreign woman reportedly handed over a laptop to the embassy officer and fled the scene. 

A complaint had been filed at the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station, prompting a joint investigation by the Cinnamon Gardens Police and the Colombo South Division Criminal Investigation Bureau.

Investigators soon identified the suspect as a German woman.

On 4 May, the Magistrate’s Court in Hulftsdorp imposed a travel ban on her, pending further inquiries. Despite the ban, the suspect had attempted to leave Sri Lanka via the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Wednesday (7).

She was intercepted by Airport Police and handed over to the Cinnamon Gardens Police. On Thursday (8), the suspect was produced before the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court No. 1 and released on bail.

Acting Police Spokesperson ASP Fredrick Wootler, speaking to The Sunday Morning, said that one of the bail conditions required her to unlock the laptop, with which she had complied. 

The Police now has the device in its custody and is analysing its contents. So far, no security threat has been identified.

ASP Wootler confirmed: “So far we have not identified any security threat. The Cinnamon Gardens Police has taken over investigations and the matter is being looked into thoroughly. Despite her initial hesitation to unlock the laptop, she complied with the court’s bail condition. The contents of the laptop are being scrutinised, but no threat has emerged so far.”

Recently a call alerting the Police emergency hotline (119) about a bomb at the Ruwanweliseya proved to be a false alarm, while last week a SriLankan Airlines flight was thoroughly inspected upon arrival at the BIA following an alert from Indian authorities that a suspect in an Indian terror plot was aboard the flight.

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala urged the public to remain calm.

“We have to investigate everything and we are doing what we can to ensure a safe environment,” he said.

“We investigated the Ruwanweliseya bomb threat and discovered that the information was a false flag. Likewise, when the Indian authorities alerted us about a suspected terrorist travelling on a SriLankan Airlines flight, we searched the flight thoroughly and found nothing. Even in the case of the German lady, we are taking every measure to get to the bottom of it. 

“Information is being gathered and intelligence is being studied. There’s no necessity to spread panic because no threat has been detected so far. I assure you that there’s no threat,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Sunil Watagala added that assumptions of a public threat were premature.

“There cannot be an assumption of a public threat because there has been no incident to trigger such alarm. However, considering that these matters can prove to be serious, I am certain the National Security Council (NSC) is paying heed to these factors and will be discussing it at its meetings.”

Ministry of Defence Spokesperson Col. Nalin Herath said: “These matters are serious, so it will definitely be taken up at the next NSC meeting.”