Fresh twist in Easter attack probe

Colombo, October 18 (Daily Mirror) - The debate over the alleged concealment of the reports on the series of deadly blasts that rocked Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, 2019 took a new turn yesterday with Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila seeking an appointment in writing with Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath to hand over what he said ‘all defence sensitive materials’ to him.

Earlier, Mr. Gammanpila challenged the government to publish these reports, sparking a debate why people are kept in the dark. Later, the government gave Mr. Gammanpila a three–day ultimatum to hand over the reports that he claims to possess.

These reports, commissioned by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, deal with the role of the intelligence services during the time of the attack and allegations raised in the Channel 4 documentary.

They were prepared by committees led by I.M. Imam and A.N.J. de Alwis.

As many as eight blasts occurred in and around Colombo on April 19, 2019, when people gathered at churches for Easter. Three churches, St. Anthony's Shrine, St. Sebastian's Church and Zion Church and three luxury hotels in Colombo, were targeted in a series of coordinated terrorist suicide bombings. In the attack, a number of foreign nationals from countries such as China, the United States and the United Kingdom died. Key foreign intelligence organisations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States assisted in investigations in nabbing the local network of terrorists.

Mr. Gammanpila told Daily Mirror that he was not in a position to publish security-sensitive details and therefore rang up Minister Herath to discuss the next step. Afterwards, he said he sent a text message to the minister but received no response on both occasions.

“Therefore, I sent a letter by registered post asking for an appointment to meet him and hand over the materials I have in a responsible manner,” he said.