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Shani claims before PCoI that CID briefed President Sirisena on gravity of threat posed by NTJ

Published

5 years ago

2021/01/28

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Former President Maithripala Sirisena had been informed, on 2 February 2019, of extremist activities by National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ), but the latter did not give him an opportunity to discuss the matter at the National Security Council (NSC), former CID Director Shani Abeysekara on Tuesday (26) night informed the PCoI probing the Easter Sunday attacks. The ex-CID Director said that following their investigations on the vandalizing of Buddha statues at Mawanella in 2018 and the detection of explosives at the Wanathawilluwa Jihadist training camp on January 2019, the CID had informed President Sirisena the gravity of the situation and the threat posed by the NTJ to the country’s national security. “On February 2, 2019, during a meeting with former President Maithripala Sirisena at his residence, former CID SDIG Ravi Seneviratne informed Sirisena of the threat posed by NTJ to the country’s national security. Presdent Sirisena informed us that he would give us an opportunity to discuss the matter at the NSC.

However, the CID had never got the opportunity, he added. The Commissioners asked the witness whether President Sirisena had been informed that Zahran Hashim was behind the Mawanella and Wanathawilluwa incidents. Abeysekara said that it was unlikely that Sirisena would focus on one person because he had been informed of the NTJ. He added that the NTJ’s plan was to carry out an attack in May 2020, but that plan changed after the raid of the jihadist camp. The Commissioners also asked the witness about the release of two suspects arrested at the jihadist camp. Abeysekara said that in February 2019 there was a meeting with former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Western Province Governor Azath Salley and during that meeting Salley had asked them to release these suspects.”I didn’t want to grant the request because those suspects were under detention and were to be questioned. Later, CID CI Janaka Marasinghe, who was in charge of the investigation, gave me a report saying that there was insufficient evidence against the two men. I had to release them.”

Abeysekara was also asked why the CID had failed to arrest Zahran Hashim. The CID usually traced a suspect by tracking a person’s phone connection and call details, he said. “Zahran and his team had used an app named ‘Threema’ to make calls. That was the reason why we couldn’t locate him.”

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Members of Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee Officially Appointed

Published

5 hours ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:

Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage

The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.

The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.

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Three prison guards arrested following the death of an inmate

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

(File pic)

Three prison guards attached to the Welikada Prison have been arrested by Borella Police following the death of an inmate on Monday (04).

News

CJ urged to inquire into AKD’s remarks on May 25 court verdict

Published

10 hours ago

2026/05/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

CJ Surasena

‘Bar Association must reveal its stand’

Civil society group ‘Free Lawyers’ has requested Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to probe whether political pressure was brought on a Magistrate, or a High Court Judge, in respect of an ongoing high profile case.

Speaking to The Island on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that they felt the urgent need to seek the CJ’s intervention, following the May Day declaration by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the verdict of a case that was heard on 30 April would be given on 25 May. Tennakoon said that addressing the NPP’s main May Day rally at Maharagama, the President asked the people to be ready to celebrate that verdict. The President couldn’t have said so if he hadn’t been aware of the impending verdict, Tennakoon said, while emphasising the responsibility on the part of the Bar Association to state its position on the issue.

‘Free Lawyers’ recently captured pubic attention following its exposure of the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.

Responding to a query, Tennakoon said that on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Maithri Gunaratne, PC, on Monday, 4 April, wrote to both CJ Surasena and President of the Bar Association Rajeev Amarasuriya.

Alleging that President Dissanayake’s declaration caused immense harm to the independence of the judiciary and raised controversy over the judgement that would be given on 25 May, ‘Free Lawyers’ organisation also asked the CJ to inquire into whether the entire judicial process was under political pressure.

Tennakoon said that they expect the Bar Association to reveal its position on President Dissanayake’s statement. Tennakoon pointed out that during the May Day address, President Dissanayake made reference to 15 cases that were to be taken up during this month, whereas Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister, as well as Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, mentioned nearly 10 names of politicians, both sitting and former lawmakers, to be summoned beginning, May.

Tennakoon said that the NPP appeared to have used May Day to counter growing accusations over the Colombo port container controversy, coal scam, Rs 13.2 bn NDB fraud and theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury and USD 625,000 from the Sri Lanka Postal Service.

By Shamindra Ferdinando