The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, on 21 April it will be seven years since the Easter Sunday attack. This is the 13th debate in this House on the subject, while a number of court cases are ongoing. Given sub judice constraints, I cannot disclose certain matters.

¶ 02 Between 08:45 and 09:12 on 21.04.2019, eight suicide bombs exploded, with additional explosions at Dematagoda, Dehiwala (Tropical Inn) and elsewhere. Investigations have revealed this was not an isolated event but a conspiracy planned since 2017 by a group led by Zahran Hashim of Kattankudy.

¶ 03 Incidents in this chain include: the 30.11.2018 murders of two Vavunativu police officers; attacks on Buddha statues on 22–23.12.2018; the 16.01.2019 discovery of detonators and explosives at a clandestine camp in Wanathavilluwa; the 10.03.2019 shooting of Mohammad Taslim in Mawanella; the 16.04.2019 motorbike blast at Kattankudy Palamunai; and the 21.04.2019 Easter Sunday bombings. They are interlinked. Prosecutions are underway: in the Mawanella Buddha statue destruction case, the Kegalle Trial-at-Bar has convicted 13 accused. Following a complaint dated 11.10.2024 by Fr. Rohan Silva of the Centre for Society and Religion on the Channel 4 programme, CID has commenced fresh investigations.

¶ 04 Regarding Vavunativu: then, during the Yahapalana government of Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithripala Sirisena—Hon. Sajith Premadasa was Minister of Cultural Affairs—the murders were attributed to “revived LTTE cadres.” “Kannan/Ajanthan” and Rasnayagam Sarvanadan of Kilinochchi were arrested, then released. Our subsequent investigations have established that the murders were not by ex-LTTE but by Zahran’s group. Had the real culprits been arrested in December 2018, the Easter attack might have been averted. The investigation was misdirected.

¶ 05 On 26.04.2019, Mohammad Sharif Adam Lebbe alias “Gaffoor Mama” was arrested by Kattankudy Police and handed to CID, but released the same day. Our renewed probe, based on his statements, led to recovering two revolvers belonging to the slain Vavunativu officers—one at Nintavur, another at Wanathavilluwa—as well as two 9mm pistols in Wanathavilluwa. These are before the Batticaloa High Court.

¶ 06 Under the PTA (Temporary Provisions) Act, we have detained Yasilbawa Jegil Bas (No. 77, Sir Rasik Fareed Mawatha, Kattankudy 4) and Suwanda Rala Sudu Nilamege Sarath Samantha (No. 131, Kiri Wehera Road, Lahugala, Pottuvil) for obstructing and misleading the Vavunativu investigations.

¶ 07 We have also arrested Retd. Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay under the PTA on conspiracy/abetment grounds. Previously, he was listed as the first witness in the Easter trials. Based on the 11.10.2024 complaint, we have now taken him into custody. CID has filed CA/Writ/870/2025 and CA/Writ/232/2026 relating to these matters. The allegation is that, as former Director, Military Intelligence and later Director, State Intelligence Service, he had prior knowledge of Islamist extremist activities and failed to prevent or reveal them, and after the attacks acted directly or indirectly to prevent exposure of those responsible—thereby evidencing reasonable suspicion of involvement in the conspiracy.

¶ 08 No prior government initiated a probe into the mastermind or the conspiracy; some, in 2022, instead transferred 22 CID officers, including the Director, without reason. While the attacks occurred under the then government, neither it, nor the subsequent administrations of Gotabaya Rajapaksa (2 years 8 months) and Ranil Wickremesinghe (2 years 3 months), took effective action on the mastermind. We, as the National People’s Power government, are moving all investigations in the right direction. We have engaged Scotland Yard, the FBI, the Australian Federal Police and INTERPOL; they have been involved before as well.

¶ 09 Within 48 hours of assuming office, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa transferred 30 CID officers including Shani Abeysekera, and imposed illegal travel bans on 704 CID staff without court orders—obstructing investigations. We have investigated that, and a DIG has been arrested; legal action will follow.

¶ 10 We reject attempts to mislead the public through book launches and theatrics. Proper investigations are underway; we will not allow a return to chauvinism. We will prosecute all involved, regardless of status. Recently, CID also arrested former Minister S. Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) regarding the abduction and murder of Prof. Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath.

¶ 11 We assure the courts and the public: investigations are scientific, evidence-based and independent. The full truth will be revealed, and all masterminds and perpetrators will be brought under the law. Thank you.