- Alleges prior knowledge of attacks; failure to share intelligence
Additional Solicitor General (ASG), President’s Counsel (PC) Dileepa Peiris yesterday (15) alleged that investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks had uncovered information suggesting that Military Intelligence had prior knowledge of the planned attacks but deliberately withheld vital intelligence.
Peiris PC made the allegations before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court during the latest hearing of the case against three suspects, including former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Major General (Retd.) Suresh Sallay. Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director DIG Shani Abeysekara appeared for the prosecution.
According to Peiris PC, investigators had recorded a statement from an intelligence informant, Kambiyan Thavalan, who had allegedly provided information to the Army on extremist groups since 2014. He said the informant had provided specific information about planned attacks in the days immediately before Easter Sunday, including on the day before the bombings.
However, Peiris PC alleged that the relevant Military Intelligence unit had failed to share the information with other security agencies.
He further alleged that an organised group within Military Intelligence had sought to protect Easter Sunday attack mastermind Zahran Hashim and conceal information concerning those responsible.
Referring to the 2018 killing of two police officers in Vavunathivu, Peiris PC said investigations had initially focused on former LTTE members. He claimed that Colonel Maddumage, then in charge of the Giritale Intelligence Camp, subsequently provided written information identifying Hashim as responsible. Those who allegedly concealed such information were connected to Sallay, he claimed.
The prosecution also referred to former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and Mannar businessman Alawdeen. Peiris PC alleged that Bathiudeen had provided political protection to individuals connected to the attacks, while Alawdeen had provided speedboats allegedly used by Hashim and associates to travel to India before the bombings.
He said investigators would also record statements from political figures, including Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and other Parliamentarians who had previously raised related allegations in Parliament.
The prosecution also raised allegations concerning former SIS Director Nilantha Jayawardena. Peiris PC said Police Inspector Ranjan Senarath Bandara, attached to the SIS Extremist Division, had submitted a list of 94 suspected extremists to Jayawardena before the attacks, including Hashim and his brother Rilwan.
According to the prosecution, Jayawardena instructed further investigations, but the officer later met Hashim’s brothers without arresting them. Peiris PC argued that this indicated that elements within the SIS had information about the planned attacks but failed to act.
The prosecution also questioned the deaths of 16 people linked to the attackers in Sainthamaruthu on 27 April 2019, saying investigators were examining whether all had died by suicide or whether some could have been arrested.
Meanwhile, the prosecution raised concerns over Sallay’s continued hospitalisation and the failure to produce medical reports. Peiris PC alleged a “medical conspiracy” and said Sallay had been on medical leave for 100 days.
Sallay’s counsel, Shavindra Fernando PC, rejected the manner in which the allegations were presented, stressing that B-report statements were not evidence and that he would not respond to every allegation at this stage.
Magistrate Pasan Amarasena ordered the Director of the Colombo National Hospital to appear in Court on 22 September and explain the failure to submit the requested medical reports.
The case will be heard again on 22 September.