Rajapaksa to set up new Intelligence Service

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 October 2010, 04:29 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse has submitted a Cabinet paper recommending the establishment of a new National Intelligence Service (NIS) under the Defense Ministry to safeguard peace and stability in the country. The NIS would be set up through a new Act of Parliament replacing the current institution, government sources said.

Mahinda Rajapaksa is also the Minister of Defense and the Commander in Chief of the armed forces and his brother Gothabaya Rajapaksa is the Secretary to the Defence Ministry.

The government expects to submit the draft bill soon in the parliament with the approval of the cabinet.

The new intelligence service would comprise internal and external sections under the direct administration and supervision of the Defense Ministry. .