By Skandha Gunasekara The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday terror attacks has found that the State Intelligence Service (SIS) was foremost responsible for failing to prevent the attacks but have also found fault with President Maithripala Sirisena for undermining the Government. The PSC investigating the 21 April terrorist attacks tabled its final report in Parliament on Wednesday (23). PSC Chairman and Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ananda Kumarasiri, addressing the media soon after the report was tabled, said that had the SIS Chief passed on the intelligence he received from foreign and local sources to the security establishments, the disaster could have been averted or at the very least, mitigated. “For example, one of the suicide bombers had gone to a target site but left that place after seeing some uniformed policemen detailed there for some other duty. That shows the attacks could have been prevented had the defence authorities responsible been alerted by the SIS,” Kumarasiri said. The first warning of extremist Islamic activities in Sri Lanka had been revealed by former Western Province Governor Alavi Moulana in 2011. “Thereafter, during the period of 2013-14, several Islamic religious groups had also brought the issue to the notice of security authorities. Both the SIS and the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) had been operating in the Kattankudy area separately, and had links with the extremist group led by Zahran Hashim. In April 2018, the SIS had made a request to the Defence Secretary asking him to suspend operations of the TID in the area. Thereby, the SIS took full responsibility with regard to Zahran’s group,” Kumarasiri said. Meanwhile, PSC Member M.A. Sumanthiran, when asked who the official that held the most responsibility was in his opinion, responded that it was then State Intelligence Chief Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena. “The SIS got the intelligence reports very close to the day of the attack. In addition, they shooed off the TID from operations, and the arrest of Army Mohideen showed that they had links. Thus, the SIS should be held responsible. The former Defence Secretary, IGP, and Chief of National Intelligence are responsible too,” he said. The PSC report stated the SIS Chief had multiple opportunities to act on intelligence related to the terror group in concern but had failed to do so. “The PSC also observes that the SIS missed a series of events that should have alerted the state security apparatus to the impending attacks and demonstrated to them the importance of the intelligence information received. This was in the context of intelligence already known on Zahran and his allies including police reports on him and arrest warrants issued on him dated March 2017. Other incidents since 2018 (described in detail in the findings) demonstrate how the lead intelligence party should have been more vigilant and taken steps to keep the ICM (Intelligence Co-ordination Meeting), National Security Council (NSC), and other relevant parties informed. This failure by the SIS has resulted in hundreds of deaths, many more injured, and immeasurable devastation to Sri Lanka and its citizens, and that must not be treated lightly.” The PSC also identified lapses in the state intelligence apparatus such as intelligence information not being shared among the various state intelligence units. In addition, the PSC casts doubts on whether these lapses are due to systemic error, or intentional lapses initiated by vested groups to cause unrest and fear among the populace for political gain. “The PSC makes a very serious finding in terms of the status of the state intelligence apparatus, where intelligence information known to a few was not shared with relevant parties. The PSC also observes that further investigations will be needed to understand whether those with vested interests did not act on intelligence so as to create chaos and instil fear and uncertainty in the country in the lead up to the presidential election to be held later in the year. Such a situation would then lead to the call for a change of regime to contain such acts of terrorism. Coincidently, or not so coincidently, the security situation and fear would be unleashed months away from the presidential election.” Major charges on President With regard to President Sirisena, the PSC charged that the President had actively undermined functions of the Government and governance systems. “The PSC observes that the President failed on numerous occasions to give leadership and also actively undermined the Government and its systems, including having ad hoc NSC meetings and leaving out key individuals from meetings.” The report also held Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene responsible. “Several others are listed in the report as having failed in their duties including the Prime Minister, State Minister of Defence, and Attorney General’s Department.” The PSC had also highlighted instances of clear politicisation of the security apparatus which had contributed to the overall national security lapses. The report noted that the President refusing to invite the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary was a breakdown of communication and was unacceptable. “The instruction by the President to not invite the Prime Minister and State Minister of Defence (to NSC meetings) is a direct breakdown of communication and the ability to work together by the two parties in Government. Leaving out key political leaders from security and intelligence briefings was used as a political tool by the President. This breakdown is further compounded by the President instructing senior administrators not to attend meetings called by the Prime Minister. This is unacceptable and has contributed to present challenges in governance and security in the country.” However, the PSC also found fault with key political figures such as the Prime Minister for keeping mum about being left out of NSC meetings. The PSC has also gathered that whilst the blame remains with the President for ordering specific individuals who were relevant for NSC discussions to not be invited, responsibility also remained with the key individuals for not raising this. For example, the PSC noted that the Prime Minister was aware of the NSC meetings as he was previously briefed by the then Minister of Law and Order. The PSC also noted that at no point prior to 21 April 2019 did he (PM) question the President as to why he was left out of the NSC nor did he keep Parliament informed of this. Similarly, the State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene could also have raised the fact that he was left out of these meetings. Thus, whilst the PSC holds the President responsible for not including the relevant individuals in the NSC meetings, the Prime Minister and other politicians also had the duty to raise these issues at Cabinet meetings and in Parliament. It also points out that the arrest of the Director of the TID had significantly weakened that arm of the security apparatus. “The PSC also notes the incident where the then TID Director was arrested. It was based on a complaint made by one Namal Kumara on an alleged assassination plot against the President. This specific incident contributed to weakening the intelligence operations underway on Zahran and associates, and such events in the future must be handled in a manner that will not hamper intelligence and security operations.” The PSC has made several recommendations. They are as follows: 1. Essential reforms in the security and intelligence sector 2. Establishment of an enhanced financial supervisory mechanism 3. The need to control and monitor the rise of religious extremism 4. Addressing delays with justice: Reforming the Attorney General’s Department 5. Wahhabism and the need for action 6. Media reporting, fake news, and other areas of concern 7. Holding politicians/peoples’ representatives accountable 8. Reforming the educational sector to counter growing extremism