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Review of Rohan Gunaratna’s ” Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday Massacre: Lessons for the International Community
Dr Punsara Amarasinghe
On April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka had its very first experience from Islamic extremist terrorism through a series of “Easter Day attacks”, targeting Catholic churches and tourist hotels. The impacts created by these attacks pushed the country to a deeper crisis and it further unveiled the sheer failure of the national intelligence agencies of Sri Lanka. Rohan Gunaratna’s timely work is a valuable contribution to the scholarship discussing the intelligence perspective of Sri Lanka’s tragedy.
The book begins with a chart of some crucial events that paved the path for the Easter Sunday massacre and this introductory chapter remains insightful in providing a clear analysis in the brief history of the Islamic radicalism in Sri Lanka, which was not adequately addressed by the government. While unfolding those events, Gunaratna reveals the ideological impetus behind the attacks. In his own words, ” Zaharan and his gang were not normal criminals”.
The first chapter of the book is like a thriller movie on Netflix with the lucid language that Gunaratna uses in tracing every single event of the Easter attacks from the preparation to the execution moment. Even tiny details such as the names of the restaurants where the attackers gathered and consumed food before embarking on the carnage have been included in the first chapter as a part of fiction. However, presenting all those facts does not undermine the central objective of the book; “the lesson for the international community”.
All the details discussed in the first chapter help in analysing the loopholes and utter negligence that paved the path for the attacks. Also Gunaratna reiterates how attacks could have been nipped in the bud, when the large number of explosives were found in Wanathavilluwa in 2019 January.
After describing the anatomy of the attacks in the first chapter, the following chapter provides useful details on Zahran, the mastermind behind the attacks. It should be noted, that the details provided here regarding the character are not mere a biographic sketch of a dead terrorist. Rather, it’s an astute analysis revealing what made an extremist identifying the ideological pillars that hardened Zahran’s resolve.
In particular, Gunaratna pays attention to Zahran’s impoverished childhood. The focal point of the chapter lies in discussing how Zahran’s native village, Kattankudy, in the Eastern province transformed into a hub of Islamic extremism by the influx of Salafi-Wahhabism, which subdued Sufi Islamic traditions and became the dominant discourse that inspired Zahran to choose his path to extremism.
In the first half of the chapter, Gunaratna identifies two major factors that played a decisive role in shaping Zahran’s psyche. The first was the establishment of Centre for Islamic Guidance ( CIG ) under Saudi patronage, which later evolved into the main manufacturing bastion of Wahabi ideology in the Eastern province. Secondly, Gunaratna explains how South Indian Wahabi cleric P.J. left an indelible influence upon the Muslim youth in Sri Lanka, which attracted young Zahran to develop his extremist ideology. Arguably the most violent strain of Salafi-Wahhabism, the doctrine of Tawheed ” The Oneness of God “, took root in Sri Lanka at the turn of the century.
In his vivid analysis, as an expert of intelligence and terrorism Gunaratna explains how all the warnings given by the state intelligence services in Sri Lanka were neglected by the political apparatus for short term political gain, resulting in the robust development of Islamic radicalism in Sri Lanka.
The third chapter entitled “The Colombo Team of the IS Sri Lanka branch”, discusses the genesis of the threat that led to the Easter attacks and also the chapter provides some details on the establishment of the IS in Sri Lanka, in which its followers were eager to emulate the IS practice of killing non-believers. While unveiling the evolution of IS ideology in Sri Lanka, Gunaratna points out how IS ideology became an alluring discourse for the English-speaking educated Muslim youth in the Western province of Sri Lanka through social media.
The chapter further elaborates on the role of Aadhil AX, a Sri Lankan Muslim youth as the main propagandist of ISIS in Sri Lanka and his charismatic leadership in attracting many Muslim youths in Sri Lanka and India to support IS activities in South Asia. According to Gunaratna, the global and local incidents that occurred in the year 2014 accelerated the growth of ISIS ideology in Sri Lanka. The religious riots that took place in Aluthgama between the Sinhalese and Muslims have been described by Gunaratna as a catalyst that nourished the seeds of IS ideology in the island.
Eventually, the IS ideology in Sri Lanka spread through an intricate network comprising friends and colleagues, family and relatives, worshippers at the mosques run by sects and mentors and their disciples. But none of those developments was scrutinized by the intelligence or the other security authorities and it further bolstered the rise of Islamic radicalism in Sri Lanka. The chapter clearly traces the initial plans of the IS activists in Sri Lanka such as the plot to assassinate Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, the leader of right wing Sinhalese Buddhist organization prior to launching the Easter attacks in 2019.
The last chapter is an eye-opener for the intelligence experts on the need to organize and fortify the intelligence networks to cope with terrorism. Gunaratna shows how intelligence gathering and reports were continuously neglected by the newly elected government in 2015 based on political motives. He seems to be optimistic in his conclusion as he suggests that the international community should work together to dismantle operational and ideological threats. This book by Prof Rohan Gunaratna is a useful contribution to the security and intelligence studies literature.
(The reviewer is a Post-Doctoral researcher at the Institute of Law, Politics and Development at Scuola Superiore Sant Anna, Pisa)
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the President’s Fund has been transformed into a people-centred fund and that ensuring equal access to education for all children is a key policy of the Government.
The Prime Minister made these remarks on 11th of July at Temple Trees while participating in the “Sarasavi Diriya Abhiman 2026” programme, organised to recognise students with special needs pursuing university education.
The President’s Fund has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs. 100,000 each to 370 students admitted under the special needs category through the University Grants Commission, and under the first phase of the programme, cheques were presented to 236 students.
Addressing at the event, Prime Minister stated:
“It is the Government’s policy to ensure equal access to education for all children, including those with special needs, such as neurodivergent and those with autism or dyslexia, without leaving any child behind in the education system. Vice-Chancellors and other education authorities bear a responsibility to ensure that the necessary practical accessibility facilities are available to these students within universities. In addition, the Government is taking steps to digitalise the education system through assistive technologies and to develop public transport and physical infrastructure in a manner that is accessible and inclusive for persons with special needs.These students are not a burden to the country; they are valuable human resources capable of contributing to sustainable development. The ultimate objective is to build a civilised society that recognises and respects the value of every individual.
The occasion was attended by the Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Upali Pannilage, Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva, and several others.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Thambuttegama Water Supply Project, which will benefit 91,810 people in the Thambuttegama, Thalawa and Galnewa Divisional Secretariat divisions, was officially commissioned by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday (10) afternoon .
The project, which was launched under a concessional loan from the China Development Bank (CDB), was suspended between May 2022 and May 2024 due to the country’s debt restructuring process. However, recognising its national importance, the current Government allocated additional funding from the Government of Sri Lanka to successfully complete the project.
Constructed as a long-term solution to the chronic kidney disease that has spread rapidly across the region, the water supply project is also expected to improve the social and economic well-being of local communities.
The project aims to provide 25,000 new household with water connections.
Built at a cost of Rs. 32 billion, the project comprises a water treatment plant with a daily capacity of 18,000 cubic metres, three water towers with a capacity of 1,500 cubic metres each, a 12.75-kilometre water transmission pipeline and a 158-kilometre water distribution network.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Susil Ranasinghe said:
“The Thambuttegama Water Supply Project, which was declared open today by the President, has the capacity to provide safe drinking water to 25,000 families. The project has been completed at a cost of Rs. 32 billion. It was implemented with the assistance of the China Development Bank, but construction came to a standstill due to the economic crisis experienced in recent years. Over the past two years, we allocated funds through the national budget and have now successfully completed the project.
At the initial stage of the project, concerns were raised over drawing water from the Rajanganaya Reservoir. Farmers protested against the proposal. However, today this project is being commissioned with the blessing and support of the Rajanganaya farmer leaders, who are present here. They presented their concerns to us and we are committed to addressing them.
Their foremost concern was to ensure that no farmer in Rajanganaya would face a shortage of irrigation water as a result of water being diverted for this project. I can assure you without hesitation that there is absolutely no reason for concern. Not even a single drop of water required for agriculture will be denied in order to supply drinking water. This project is, after all, intended to provide clean drinking water to farming families themselves.
They also requested that compensation be paid if cultivation is affected due to any water-related issue. I assure you that there is no cause for concern on that front either. This Government has consistently compensated farmers affected by disasters. We paid Rs. 1.2 billion in compensation for losses suffered by farmers over the past seven cultivation seasons due to the Nilwala saltwater barrier. We also resolved long-standing issues relating to land acquisition under the Yan Oya Project and allocated Rs. 180 million to the District Secretary to compensate the affected landowners. In addition, Rs. 12 billion has been paid in compensation to around 200,000 farmers whose farmlands were damaged by Cyclone Ditwah. Therefore, if farmers suffer any losses or damage to their lands in the future, this Government stands ready to provide compensation.
Another request made by the farming community was the construction of the Ginipetti Bridge if water is to be drawn for this project. We have already allocated Rs. 240 million to build a new bridge capable of accommodating vehicular traffic and foundation work will commence shortly. At the same time, a team of experts has been appointed to determine whether the existing Ginipetti Bridge can be rehabilitated or whether an entirely new bridge is required. Therefore, I assure the farming community once again that we will not allow them to suffer any hardship or loss as a result of this project.”
Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, Governor of the North Central Province Wasantha Jinadasa, public representatives of the province, Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, officials of the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, together with a large number of local residents, were also present at the event.
[PMD]
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed S. A. Nimal Saranatissa as the new Chairman of the Public Service Commission.
The other members appointed to the Commission are B. Sanath Poojitha, E. R. Weerakoon, R. Ketheeswaran, J. M. R. Jayasundara, E. A. P. N. Edirisinghe, Dr S. A. A. N. Jayasekara and M. H. Mohammed Sameel.
The letters of appointment were presented to the newly appointed Chairman and members by Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat Thursday (09) afternoon .
The appointments have been made to fill the vacancies that arose following the expiry of the previous term of office of the Public Service Commission
[PMD]
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