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SJB wants real mastermind of Easter Sunday carnage traced

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/9

By Saman Indrajith

The SJB demanded in Parliament on Saturday (5) that the government shift its focus from those who had been under the command of Zahran Hashim the ringleader of those who carried out the Easter Sunday terror attacks to those who masterminded the attack.

SJB Galle District MP Manusha Nanayakkara accused the government of not doing enough to grant relief to those who had lost their loved ones.

Participating in the third reading stage debate on budget 2021, MP Nanayakkara said: Some 350 persons were killed and around 500 wounded. The family members of victims suffered losss. Who suffered the biggest political loss? It was the yahapalana government. It lost power. Therefore, it is obvious that the yahapalana government did not engineer the Easter Sunday attacks. Then who achieved the biggest political gain? It is the political camp now in the government. I do not say that they engineered the terror attacks either. After it was first revealed by Minister Wijayadasa Rajapakshe in this House that there were ISIS terrorists in the country, there were investigations under TID chief DIG Nalaka Silva. He investigated the matter and sought permission to arrest Zahran Hashim, who had been identified as a threat to national security. The request for the permission goes to the highest office. What happened then? A person named Namal Kumara claimed there was a conspiracy to assassinate the then President and DIG Nalaka Silva was involved in it. The person who sought permission to arrest Zahran was put behind bars and investigations into ISIS operations in Lanka came to an end. Then there was the 52-day government, which plunged the country into chaos; no UNP leader was allowed to attend the National Security Council. Only the likes of Thilanga Sumathipala, Dilan Perera and Dayasiri Jayasekera were invited to the NSC meetings. During those months prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, issues related to Zahran’s operations had been taken up several times at the NSC meetings. Today, these facts are revealed before the Easter Sunday Commission. Why the then President did not take action as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is not a matter for me to discuss. There had been warnings of the impending attacks. Even on the day of the attacks, the President flew from Thirupathi to Singapore despite being informed of the incidents. It has now been revealed that many had received prior information about the terror attacks. It is said that MP Harin Fernando’s father had been aware of them. There were some others. Who instructed TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran not to go to Church on that day? It was the then Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa who instructed MP Sumanthiran not to go to church on that day. Rajapaksa had come to know about the threat from his security detail. The Ministerial Security Division had been aware of the warning. Batticaloa District TNA MP Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam: It should be corrected. MP Sumanthiran was in Batticaloa. I was there with him when the then Opposition Leader Rajapaksa called him. It was not to warn against going to church because the call came after the incident.

MP Nanayakkara: This information came to MSD on April 14. The MSD officers were told that there was a letter in Colombo and asked them to come and pick it up. It was many days later after the attack we saw the letter. There is a serious issue that has surfaced now before the Easter Sunday Commission. Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne has told the Commission that Zahran’s group was linked to ISIS by a local agent of ISIS. Who is that local agent? He is the one who controlled Zahran. He is the one who paid salaries for weapons training? He was the one who paid the salaries to the family members of those who went abroad on their absence. Why has he not been arrested yet? Why Sarah Jasmine, the wife of Muhammadu Hastun, who detonated a suicide bomb at St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya on Easter Sunday has not been arrested, yet. She was allowed to flee to India after she made vital revelations of the names of the persons who paid for Zahran and others. Zahran’s wife’s testimony was recorded in camera, not allowing the media to know what she said. She, too, has revealed some names. Thereafter, the sittings of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry were suspended stating that it was owing to COVID-19. Now, there is a serious threat to the lives of those who have given evidence.

Public Security Minister Dr Sarath Weerasekera: There are 271 persons in custody. There were eight incidents and all the evidence and documents are with the Attorney General, who is due to file cases before courts. It is the yahapalana regime that should take the responsibility for the security failure. It neglected national security. It was during your time that the intelligence operatives and war heroes were put behind bars. Those factors led to the security failure.

MP Nanayakkara: Those in custody had been arrested during the time of the previous government. Tell the House whether your government made any arrests. We must respect war heroes. There is no doubt about it, but should we respect those who make use of the very same uniform of the war heroes to kill innocents, abduct children, take ransom and harass the media? The government’s investigations are focussed on the aftermath of the incident. We are asking the government to pay attention to the events prior to the incident and arrest those who directed the terror attacks and those who had links to the terrorists.

SJB Gampaha District MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka: Those in custody are just those who did menial jobs. You should arrest the masterminds and those responsible for funding the Zahran group. Arrest those who had been above the rank of Zahran not those who were below him.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

1 hour ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

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Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

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Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]