-By LeN Political Correspondent
(Lanka-e-News -08.Sep.2025, 8.15 PM) A single tweet has ignited a storm between Colombo and Malé. Sri Lankan authorities are investigating a social media threat directed at President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, believed to have originated from the Maldives under the pseudonymous account Hassan Kurusee.
The alleged threat surfaced shortly after former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by order of a Colombo court, a development that shocked the island’s political establishment. Within hours, Hassan Kurusee posted a menacing message aimed at Sri Lanka’s sitting president.
The post has not only prompted a criminal inquiry in Colombo but has also stirred controversy in Maldivian politics, with speculation swirling that the account is tied to one of the Maldives’ most prominent political figures.
In Malé, the account of Hassan Kurusee (@Hkurusee) has long been viewed with suspicion. Social media users claim it is run by none other than a former Maldivian president and parliament speaker — once the leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and a survivor of a high-profile bomb blast in the capital.
That individual, better known by the nickname A**i, has faced whispers of maintaining close ties with Wickremesinghe during his years in Sri Lankan politics. Critics allege that those ties may have influenced the hostility of the tweet against President Dissanayake.
Although the identity of Hassan Kurusee has not been officially confirmed, Sri Lankan investigators are reportedly tracing the IP address, Wi-Fi networks, and electronic devices linked to the account.
“If the tweet is conclusively tied to a former Maldivian head of state, the matter becomes more than a cybercrime — it becomes a diplomatic crisis,” said a Colombo-based cyber security analyst.
Investigators are also combing through the suspect’s personal history in Sri Lanka. Records show that the former Maldivian leader once studied at an international school in Colombo, held local bank accounts, and even invested in Sri Lankan assets.
That paper trail could complicate matters for Malé if Colombo moves to seek his detention the next time he enters Sri Lanka.
“His connections to Sri Lanka are deep — education, finance, politics,” noted a retired Sri Lankan diplomat. “That makes him vulnerable if investigators prove he is behind this threat.”
The man suspected of running the Hassan Kurusee (@Hkurusee) account has often styled himself internationally as a champion of democracy and climate change activism. He has been a darling of Western capitals, praised for his leadership in highlighting the existential risks of rising sea levels to small island nations.
But critics in Colombo warn that such credentials do not excuse online threats against a head of state.
“He cannot hide behind the mask of a pseudonym or his reputation as a democrat,” said one Sri Lankan legal expert. “If he is behind the Hassan Kurusee (@Hkurusee) account, then he must face accountability under the law.”
The controversy also revives older allegations. In Colombo’s political circles, whispers resurface about his family’s alleged involvement in failed Maldivian coup attempts during the 1990s — reportedly linked to foreign mercenaries. Though never proven in court, such stories have lingered in the background of his political career.
Now, Sri Lankan authorities appear determined to bring clarity. A senior investigator confirmed that once the digital forensics are complete, Sri Lanka may seek international cooperation to question the individual behind Hassan Kurusee (@Hkurusee)
The incident underscores the fragility of relations between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, two island nations whose politics often intertwine.
For President Dissanayake, the threat represents a test of Colombo’s ability to protect the presidency from foreign-based intimidation. For Malé, it may soon mean answering uncomfortable questions about whether one of its most famous political sons is hiding behind a controversial Twitter account.
As one senior Sri Lankan security source bluntly put it:
“If you want to criticise a president, do it openly. But if you threaten him from behind a mask, your days are numbered.”
-By LeN Political Correspondent
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by (2025-09-08 14:49:57)
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