No evidence to confirm attackers had links with ISIS: SDIG

• A special probe underway to determine as to why action  was not taken with regard to warnings given

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

  
Testifying before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday attacks, Senior DIG and Head of CID and TID, Ravi Seneviratne yesterday said no evidence had been found to confirm that those who staged the attacks had connections with ISIS.   

He said the attackers have trained locally as per the information uncovered during the investigations.   

• The information received on the impending attacks should have been acted upon and not simply put aside as unconfirmed

DIG Seneviratne suggested that an investigation has to be carried out to confirm whether the Easter Sunday attackers had any connection to any international organisation other than ISIS.   

However, he said a special investigation is being conducted to determine as to why action was not taken with regard to warnings given by foreign investigation units and the information uncovered by the local intelligence units on National Thowheed Jamath led by Zaharan.   

He said he is personally not satisfied with the way the relevant authorities acted upon the intelligence reports received, especially with regard to the attacks on April 21 2019.   
“The information received on the impending attacks should have been acted upon and not simply put aside as unconfirmed,” he said.   

A special investigation is being conducted to determine as to why action was not taken with regard to warnings given by foreign investigation units

He also revealed that the bomb blast had already taken place in Kochchikade Church on April 21 when he saw the SMS sent to him by the State Intelligence Service chief warning him about the attacks.   

DIG Seneviratne did not wish to reveal certain information in the presence of the media. Some information was revealed by him to the select committee confidentially.

• The bomb blast had already taken place in Kochchikade Church when he saw the SMS sent to him