News
EX-SIS chief insists he could not inform President Sirisena of Easter Sunday intelligence
By AJA Abeynayake
Former State Intelligence Service head and incumbent Senior DIG of the Central Province Nilantha Jayawardena told the court yesterday that information received from foreign agencies of possible terror attacks on Easter Sunday could not be processed into intelligence.
Therefore, he had not been able to hand over an intelligence report on the matter to the then IGP Pujith Jayasundera, SDIG Jayawardena said.
SDIG Jayawardena testified at the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar in the case filed against former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, who are charged under 855 counts individually with failing to prevent the 2019 April 21 terror attacks.
Jayawardena also said that he did not report the matter as an intelligence report to the then political administration including President, the Prime Minister or State Defence Minister. He said so in answer to questions by Attorney-at-Law Roshan Dehiwela, counsel for former IGP Jayasundera.
Jayawardena said it had not been possible to develop information about possible attacks received from foreign sources on April 04, 2019 into an intelligence report by April 21, 2019. Information could not be converted into intelligence as per the wish of intelligence agencies, he added.
He said that he had written to investigating agencies including the CID that religious extremists led by Zahran should be arrested.
He however admitted in the court that a suspect could not be taken into custody solely on the basis of an intelligence report.
Asked whether he at least tried to send an SMS to the President about such a warning, Jayawardena said that he had tried to connect the President via the telephone operators at the President’s House but he could not send an SMS to the latter, who did not use a mobile phone.
The case that was taken up in the presence of Justices Namal Balalle, Aditya Patabendige, and Mohamed Irshadeen was postponed to 18 Jan, 2022. In addition to DIG Jayawardena, IGP C. D. Wickramaratne also testified in court yesterday.
IGP Wickramaratne told the court that the Inspector General of Police must conduct investigations on intelligence received and then follow up to protect the country.
“In order to take action on the information given by the State Intelligence Service, those pieces of information need not be definite intel. They need not be 100% accurate. There needs to be faith in the information and quick response is needed,” the IGP testified in court.
The Inspector General of Police was not just a public officer paid by the state and he was responsible for maintaining law and order and safeguarding national security, the IGP said, adding that the police chief must personally look into the intelligence information concerning national security.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
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Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
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