News

Lanka’s spy-thriller probe into deadly 2019 ‘Easter bombings’

Published

17 hours ago

2026/07/12

Soldiers inspect the St Sebastian’s Church at Katuwapitiya in Negombo on April 21, 2019, following a bomb blast during an Easter service. AFP

(AFP)SURESH Sallay, a retired Sri Lankan major general and counterterrorism expert, has addressed the Pentagon and the United Nations on subjects including social media’s role in “radicalisation, extremism and terrorism.”

But the island’s former spy chief was himself arrested under anti-terrorism laws in February and accused by the government of masterminding the deadliest attack against civilians in Sri Lanka’s history.

The so-called Easter bombings on April 21, 2019, which killed 279 people and wounded more than 500, were blamed on Islamists.

However, the government now accuses Sallay of having “strategically directed” the attacks.

Those killed included 45 foreigners, many of them tourists, including Australian, British, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Japanese and US citizens.

Sallay has not been charged with any offence and denies any wrongdoing, with his next court hearing scheduled for Friday.

The allegations against him mark a dramatic reversal in the official narrative about the devastating bombings.

Sri Lanka says seven suicide bombers attacked three luxury hotels and three churches in coordinated strikes inspired by the Islamic State group.

But questions quickly emerged over Indian intelligence warnings that were ignored and how the bombers evaded detection.

Investigations have since shifted from an IS-inspired attack to an alleged conspiracy involving deep state actors seeking to seize power.

Critics argue that the attacks succeeded not because of an intelligence failure, but because they were the product of a planned intelligence operation.

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told parliament in June that Sallay was the “mastermind” behind the attacks who “conspired with and strategically directed Islamic extremists until they carried out the attacks.”

Government inquiries have exposed links between the bombers and at least two state intelligence agencies, but Wijepala was the first minister to publicly accuse Sallay of orchestrating the attacks.

“Just three weeks prior to the attack, Sallay met Muslim men to obtain details of the locations,” Wijepala said.

Critics argue the network was cultivated to create an enemy to justify greater state backing for a radical Buddhist group aligned with the then-powerful Rajapaksa political dynasty.

Britain’s Channel 4 reported in 2023 that a whistleblower alleged the attack was allowed to help Gotabaya Rajapaksa win the 2019 presidency on a pledge to crush Islamist extremism.

Investigators have told the court the alleged plot was to create chaos and position Rajapaksa as the leader capable of crushing militancy, as he had done against Tamil rebels a decade earlier.

Rajapaksa administrations have acknowledged that the state funded jihadists to gather intelligence on Tamil rebels during the 1983-2009 civil war.

However, they insist that the militants double-crossed their handlers and carried out the Easter attacks.

Nearly 70 per cent of Sri Lankans are Buddhist, with 12 per cent Hindus, 10 per cent Sunni Muslims and seven per cent Christians.

Sallay in many ways reflects the diversity of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people: he is a Muslim, married to a Buddhist, while his Catholic mother has appealed to the pope to secure his release.

A career officer, he served in Sri Lanka’s missions in France and Malaysia, and studied at New Delhi’s prestigious National Defence College, as well as India’s Madras University and Britain’s University of Bradford.

Colombo’s Institute of National Security Studies, a think tank linked to the defence ministry, says Sallay addressed the Pentagon in a 2003 speech titled “Suicide Terrorism and its Impact.”

He said in a 2023 speech at UN headquarters that terrorism was “one of the greatest challenges” to international security.

“A number of attacks… including in Sri Lanka, have demonstrated the power of social media and digital platforms in radicalisation, extremism, and terrorism,” he said.

“We have witnessed horrific acts of violence that affect innocent lives and communities.” Sallay prospered under the Rajapaksas.

He was appointed to head the State Intelligence Service after Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the 2019 election, the first military officer to do so.

Sallay had Muslim human rights lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah arrested in 2020, accusing him of being the attack “mastermind” of the attacks the year before.

Hizbullah was freed 22 months later after authorities failed to produce evidence.

Sallay has complained of “inhuman and degrading” treatment in detention since his own arrest.

Hizbullah said his detention conditions were worse but that Sallay nevertheless deserved fair treatment, legal counsel and family access.

Sallay fell from grace in 2024 after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake took office and reopened stalled investigations. He remains in custody.

By Amal Jayasinghe

All News Advertisement

News

The President’s Fund has been transformed into a people-centred fund – PM

Published

8 hours ago

2026/07/12

Priyan

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]

News

Thambuttegama Water Supply Project Commissioned by the President

Published

11 hours ago

2026/07/12

Priyan

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]

News

New Chairman and members appointed to the Public Service Commission

Published

11 hours ago

2026/07/12

Priyan

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]