Why not grill Sirisena, Gnanasara Thera, Nilantha?: Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana

• SJB opposes CID interrogating Fr. Cyril Gamini
• Johnston claims nothing wrong in quizzing Fr. Cyril Gamini
• Fr. Gamini to be summoned for 3rd day on 22 Nov.

BY Buddhika Samaraweera

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Dr. Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana called for the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to question former President and current Government Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, and former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Nilantha Jayawardena in connection with the Easter Sunday terror attacks on 21 April 2019.

Dr. Jayawardhana, who is one of the Catholic MPs in the SJB, made this call in reference to the CID’s recent questioning of National Catholic Social Communication Centre Director Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando in connection with statements made with regard to the said bombings.

Following a heated debate which took place between Dr. Jayawardhana and Highways Minister and Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando in Parliament yesterday (17) over the matter, Dr. Jayawardhana, speaking to The Morning, said that the Reverend had been summoned again to provide a statement on 22 November. 

“Fr. Fernando was questioned for more than seven hours on two days. He has once again been summoned to the CID on 22 November. But Gnanasara Thera, who claimed that he was aware of a cache of weapons and those who were planning to launch an attack using those weapons, was not questioned,” he said.

Dr. Jayawardhana also noted that if the CID was to really uncover the truth behind the Easter Sunday terror attacks, it would have to question former President Sirisena and SDIG Jayawardena as well.

“Why can’t the CID question Sirisena? Why can’t they question SDIG Jayawardena? Instead of being questioned, SDIG Jayawardena has been promoted.”

Speaking further, he claimed that the Government was attempting to silence those seeking justice for the Easter Sunday terror attacks through moves such as questioning Fr. Fernando, a person who had continuously demanded justice for the victims, without questioning those who should be questioned about the said terror attacks.

Meanwhile, in the heated debate that took place between Dr. Jayawardhana and Highways Minister and Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando in Parliament, Fernando said that there is nothing wrong in questioning Fr. Fernando.

“Is it wrong to question Fr. Fernando if he knows anything about it? If someone knows something, such matters should be looked into. Therefore, don’t turn this incident into politics. We shall all work together to get to the bottom of this.”

Fr. Fernando appeared before the CID on 15 and 16 November in order to record statements with regard to a complaint lodged by incumbent SIS Director Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay against the former. On 25 October, a complaint was filed at the CID by Sallay against Fernando and others who attended a recent online forum, requesting an investigation into an allegation made against him during the said forum that the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) terror group, which was behind the Easter Sunday terror attacks, was supported by the intelligence services, including him (Sallay) in his former capacity as the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) Director.