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Hemasiri: TID attempt to arrest Zahran thwarted
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Only the President had the power to give directions at the National Security Council (NSC) and former President Maithripala Sirisena never instructed those who attended its meetings to arrest NTJ leader Zahran Hashim during his tenure as Defence Secretary between November 2018 and April 2019, Hemasiri Fernando, yesterday, told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.
Fernando added that he had taken over as the Defence Secretary in November 2018 and no one had any idea where Zahran was hiding. If they could have arrested Zahran in 2018, the attack could have been prevented.
“In 2018, the TID looked for Zahran. This operation was stopped. Otherwise, the TID might have arrested him.”
Asked by a Commissioner who had stopped the TID’s investigations, Fernando said that the incident had taken place during the time of his predecessor. “The former IGP is to start testifying on September 24 and I think it’s better if this evidence comes from him,” Fernando said.
The Attorney General’s Department (AGD) official who led the evidence asked Fernando if he was aware that the State Intelligence Service (SIS) had reported on a number of Zahran sightings and his possible whereabouts. Fernando said that focusing on such matters was not a part of his duties.
“This is not my concern. I was the supervising officer. Supervisors don’t arrest people. It was not my job.”
Fernando was then asked how he had contacted former President Maithripala Sirisena when the latter was out of Colombo. “I was hardly in contact with him at all, and, therefore, that was not a problem for me,” the witness said.
Chief of Staff to the President and National Security Advisor (NSA) Sagala Ratnayaka led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier Security Summit held in Singapore from 2 – 4 June 2023.
The highly anticipated summit commenced on 2 June with a powerful Keynote address delivered by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Throughout the event, a series of plenary sessions delved into various crucial geo-political issues, encompassing the establishment of a stable and balanced Asia Pacific, the resolution of regional tensions, the evolution of maritime security in Asia, US leadership in the Indo-Pacific, and China’s latest security initiatives, among other topics.
During the Special Session focusing on ‘Defence Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region,’ Ratnayaka delivered an impactful statement, participating alongside representatives from India, Oman, France, and the United States. He emphasized the significance of keeping big power rivalries and external conflicts out of the Indian Ocean, highlighting Sri Lanka’s efforts in the United Nations to declare the region as a zone of peace. Furthermore, he underscored the country’s contributions to preserving freedom of navigation and over flight, stressing the crucial need for constructive dialogue among all stakeholders in the Indian Ocean region to pursue shared interests.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal raised by the Minister of Health to reduce the maximum retail price of 60 medicines by 16% with effect from 15.06.2023 and review the price of medicines every three months
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