SMS blocked to prevent ‘unnecessary panic’

The government suspended the Short Message Service (SMS) of mobile phones between 6 am to 12 noon on Independence Day to bar what it called, “unnecessary panic” that would have been created by certain groups using test messages. Some mobile service operators had informed their customers that the SMS facility would be suspended during the morning of February 4. .

However when contacted, Lakshman Hulugalle, Director of the Media Centre for National Security, said that the government did not curtail the call facilities of the mobile phones, since it was apparent that the trouble makers were using only the SMS facility to spread panic among the general public.

“The parties who are involved in sending false test messages will always help the LTTE eventually. They are LTTE sympathisers, whether they are Sinhalese, Tamil or Muslims” said Hulugalle adding that the government had decided to bar the SMS facility temporarily because they did not want any disturbances during the Independence Day celebrations.

One of the text messages that circulated among the public prior to Independence Day said that there were 16 suicide cadres who had infiltrated the city of Colombo.