Former Director SIS dismisses claim made by ex-president Sirisena in talk show

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Former Director of State Intelligence Service SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena yesterday (16) told the PCoI probing Easter Sunday attacks that he couldn’t accept claims made by former President Maithripala Sirisena that prior to Easter Sunday attacks intelligence agencies had described NTJ leader Zahran Hashim only as an extremist, but not as a terrorist.

Jayawardena made this statement when Shamil Perera, the counsel appearing for Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith played a video clip featuring Sirisena. In the recording of a TV talk show, the former president said that intelligence agencies had never described Zahran as a terrorist.

SDIG Jayawardena said he had clearly informed both the former President and the National Security Council (NSC) that Zahan Hashim was promoting the ideology of Islamic State (IS) in Sri Lanka on numerous occasions and he posed a great danger to the country.

“I may not have used the exact word ‘terrorist’ to describe Zahran Hashim. But I clearly said he was promoting the Islamic State ideology. Everyone is aware that Islamic State is a terrorist organization.”