The newly-appointed presidential committee to investigate the allegations in the documentary aired by British television network Channel 4 on the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka will launch a fresh and independent probe, a member of the committee, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Sunday Morning.
They noted that the new committee would diverge from previously-appointed committees, starting anew and compiling evidence.
It is learnt that after completing the process and compiling the report, the committee will compare its findings with that of the previous investigations in order to discern if there is overlapping information.
The member further noted that the committee would begin by initiating formal inquiries once witnesses provided their evidence.
They emphasised that they would carefully consider the testimonies of witnesses and examine the relevant documents presented during the inquiry while adhering to the committee’s mandate. The focus will remain on the legal aspects of the documents and the evidence provided by the witnesses.
“Only after completing this process can we determine if there is any overlap. Once the inquiry has been concluded, the report will be prepared, allowing us to make a comprehensive comparison of the findings,” the member stated.
Last week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed a three-member committee chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice S.I. Imam and comprising retired Air Force Commander A.C.M. Jayalath Weerakkody and President’s Counsel Harsha A.J. Soza.
On 6 September, British television network Channel 4 aired a controversial 50-minute documentary titled ‘Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings’. The documentary focused on the tragic bombings that occurred on Easter Sunday in 2019, targeting Catholic churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, resulting in over 260 casualties and numerous injuries.
The documentary also included allegations from whistleblowers regarding other unsolved crimes in Sri Lanka, including the many journalists killed or disappeared in the line of duty.
The documentary featured allegations from whistleblowers, implicating senior Government officials in the planning of the attacks. The main whistleblower, Hanzeer Azad Maulana, was a spokesperson for a breakaway group from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) – the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TVMP).
The programme included testimonies from various notable figures and individuals, shedding light on different aspects of the event.
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dismissed the documentary as an attempt to tarnish his legacy and labelled it a fabrication. The Defence Ministry and State Intelligence Service Chief Major General Suresh Sallay have also denied the allegations and affirmed that the terrorists involved were not associated with the Government.
Despite this, Opposition members including Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith have repeated their calls for an independent and transparent international investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks, citing lack of credibility in the investigations carried out thus far and a lack of accountability for failing to prevent the attacks, despite repeated Intelligence warnings received.