Catholic Church writes to President again We only want a local probe with foreign observers

By Yohan Perera  

The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka in a fresh letter addressed to President Ranil Wickremesinghe had called for a local probe to clear certain shortcomings that are visible in the previous probes on the Easter Sunday attacks.   The letter signed by few bishops including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith who are members of National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims appointed by the Catholic Bishops Conference had said previous investigations have neglected important issues.

Investigations have not been carried out on the person whose IP address handed over to CID by American FBI intelligence, halting of questioning of IP Bandara who has been identified as Sonic Sonic, failure to identify Abu Hind, failure to carry out investigations to determine the connection which bomber Jamil had with intelligence units and the incident at the Gelanigama exit where an explosives laden lorry was allowed to pass have not been properly probed, the letter said.  

“ It is clear that directorate of militarily intelligence and state intelligence had a close relationship with Zahran. Investigation of these events tried to obstruct and sabotage investigations,” the letter added.  

The Committee also requested for a probe on what was alleged in the recent channel 4 video. They said the probe should be monitored by independent foreign observers.   
The letter has been signed by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, President of Sri Lanka Catholic Bishop’s Conference Bishop Harold Anthony Perera. Bishop of Chillaw Valance Mendis, bishop of Galle Raymond Wickremesinghe, and auxiliary bishops J. D. Anthony Jayakody, Anton Ranjith and Maxwell Silva and some priests.  

Meanwhile Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando told journalists that President is yet to respond to the earlier letter sent by Sri Lanka Catholic Bishops Conference.