– Former defence secretary

by Rathindra Kuruwita

Former President Maithripala Sirisena has not allowed immediate action against the Sri Lankans who had returned after fighting for the Islamic State (IS) and extremist foreign preachers because he feared upsetting Muslim politicians, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, on Friday, told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.

Fernando told the PCoI that he had informed Sirisena of the Sri Lankans who had returned after receiving weapons training from terrorist organisations such as the IS and Al Qaeda, and extremist foreign preachers operating in Sri Lanka.

“President Sirisena told me that taking action on those issues would cause problems with Muslim politicians and asked me not to be impatient.”

The witness said in the previous government, Muslim politicians had frequently intervened to prevent the arrest of a number of criminals. Fernando alleged that perhaps the National Thowheed Jamaat leader Zahran Hashim could have been arrested prior to Easter Sunday attacks if not for such political pressure.

Answering a question by the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) who led the evidence, Fernando said that Zahran had supported former President Sirisena during the 2015 presidential election.

Zahran had contested a local government election too and further details could be given after examining the reports, the ex- Defence Secretary added.

Asked by a commissioner on whether there had been adequate provisions for taking legal action against extremists, Fernando said that legal action was possible but political pressures had prevented that.