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Gen. Sallay’s writ application against arrest: PC questions validity of Moulana’s statement

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2 months ago

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Maj. General Suresh Sallay

President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena told the Court of Appeal that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had sent a team to Paris to obtain a statement from Azad Moulana, a fugitive from Sri Lankan law and seeking political asylum in Europe, regarding the 2019 Easter Sunday case, though he was a person critical of the Sri Lankan judiciary. Jayawardena, questioned how a statement given by such a person can be relied upon.

Pointing out that the recording of the statement had been done at the Sri Lankan Embassy, in Paris, Jayawardena denied Moulana’s much publicised claim that Maj. General Suresh Sallay had met a group, linked to Zahran Hashim, in Wanathawilluwa, in February 2018.

The PC stressed that Sallay had not been in Sri Lanka at the time.

The declaration was made during the hearing of a writ petition filed by Sallay, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). in connection with investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.

Submissions from the petitioner’s side, which continued for seven days, were concluded on Tuesday (21), before a bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.

In his submissions, Jayawardena said that Sallay, in his capacity as head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), in 2016, had briefed the National Security Council (NSC) on the growing threat posed by the Islamic extremism and ISIS ideology in Sri Lanka but a senior member of the Council opposed the submissions.

The Counsel said the DMI had investigated a Sri Lankan national linked to ISIS, killed in an air strike in Syria. That investigation led Sallay to prepare a “concept paper” outlining measures to combat Islamic extremism and had proposed establishing a task force to address the issue.

Those recommendations had been presented to then Secretary to the Ministry of Defence K. Hettiarachchi. However, a senior member of the Security Council had expressed dissatisfaction with Sallay’s warnings regarding Islamic extremism.

The Counsel said that the matter had been referred to in evidence given before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI), headed by Justice Janak de Silva. Mooted by former Army Commander General Crishanthe de Silva, who had indicated that the response within the Security Council had affected the progress of measures proposed by Sallay.

The Defence Counsel also asserted that Sallay had been removed from the Army Intelligence Directorate and appointed to a diplomatic posting in Malaysia, about two months later, due to political reasons.

Questioning the allegations against his client, President’s Counsel Jayawardena told court that an individual, who had raised concerns about Islamic extremism, could not be described as the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks.

He questioned how the threat of extremism could be addressed if intelligence officers involved in investigating such activities were themselves being remanded.

Referring to evidence submitted before the Supreme Court, Jayawardena said former State Intelligence Service Director Nilantha Jayawardena had stated in an affidavit that he had sent a WhatsApp message regarding the planned Easter Sunday attacks to the then Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ravi Seneviratne, on the evening before the attacks.

He also claimed that Ravi Seneviratne had informed the Janak de Silva Commission that the CID was aware of the extremist activities of Zahran Hashim and his followers; he asked why preventive action had been taken.

The President’s Counsel argued that Sallay’s personal background contradicted allegations that he was involved in attacks against Christian places of worship.

He told court that Major General Suresh Sallay’s mother was a Christian, that she had attended a church in Nugegoda, on the day of the Easter Sunday attacks, and that Sallay himself regularly attended St. Anthony’s Church with his mother.

Following the conclusion of the petitioner’s submissions, Deputy Solicitor General Suharshi Herath, appearing for the Attorney General, told court that preliminary objections would be raised against the petition.

The Court of Appeal directed that those objections be submitted on July 27.


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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

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8 hours ago

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2026/10/5

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Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

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Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

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8 hours ago

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2026/10/5

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The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

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Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

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8 hours ago

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2026/10/5

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A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.

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