Veteran journalist Iqbal Athas passes away
Veteran Sri Lankan journalist and defence analyst Iqbal Athas passed away this morning (January 13) at the age of 81 after a brief illness.
Athas was internationally renowned for his investigative reporting on defence and security matters, often uncovering scandals in arms purchases by Sri Lankan authorities.
He served as a defence columnist for the Sunday Times and contributed to Jane’s Defence Weekly, CNN, and the Times of London. In 2000, the New York Times described him as “the country’s leading military correspondent.”
Athas won several international journalism awards for his fearless reporting and later became Consulting Editor of the Sunday Times, continuing to influence defence journalism in Sri Lanka and abroad.
His remains will lie in state at No. 11C/1, Siriwardena Road, Hill Street, Dehiwala from 9.00 a.m. today. The funeral will take place this afternoon at the Muslim burial ground in Dehiwala.
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