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

¶ 01 Regarding the T-56 rifle used to kill the two Vavunativu police officers: ballistics confirm it matches a T-56 found near the body of Mohamed Niyas, who died in the Sainthamaruthu-Bolivarian village blast on 26.04.2019. It also matches a T-56 earlier issued to a Civil Defence Force member attached to Eravur Police that had gone missing.

¶ 02 One of the two revolvers belonging to the slain Vavunativu officers was found among explosives and weapons recovered from Lactowatta 258/09; the other revolver was recently recovered by the CID concealed in a chimney at a safe house in Nindavur based on the statement of Ghafoor “Mama,” Zaharan’s driver arrested after the Easter attacks. This shows the earlier Vavunativu probe was being derailed; the CID has now identified the real suspects, recovered weapons, and arrested Zaharan’s close associates Milhaban, Ghafoor “Mama,” and two others, who are remanded and facing indictments in Batticaloa High Court Case No. 3421/21.

¶ 03 On Sara Jasmine (Pulastini Mahendran), a senior member of Zaharan’s group: following the 26.04.2019 Sainthamaruthu explosion, two DNA reports did not match close relatives of Sara Jasmine, while a third report matched her mother’s DNA. At that time, the Public Security Minister was Mr. Sarath Weerasekara. Serious doubts have arisen about the sampling process for that third report; I will not disclose more due to sensitivity. The CID will report to court at the appropriate time. There is now a serious doubt whether Pulastini (Sara) actually died in Sainthamaruthu on 26.04.2019; a deep investigation is ongoing.

¶ 04 A new point: Abdul Latheef Jameel Mohamed, the failed suicide bomber targeting the Taj Samudra, checked in on 20.04.2019 at 4.52 p.m. The hotel, aware he had been under extremist investigation since 2017, notified State intelligence prior to the attacks. Despite this prior notification, no action was taken by the intelligence services. The CID is conducting a thorough investigation into this serious failure.

¶ 05 Former Eastern Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan) has been arrested and remanded on 08.04.2025 regarding the abduction of Eastern University Vice Chancellor Subramaniam Ravindranath, the murders of Batticaloa Police officers, and illegal possession of firearms. Evidence shows Pillayan was in Batticaloa Prison on 21.04.2019 for the Joseph Pararajasingham murder, and that he had prior knowledge about the Easter attacks while in prison. A military intelligence member was also in prison with him and worked closely with him. Reasonable and strong suspicion exists that Pillayan had prior knowledge of the Easter attacks; investigations continue.

¶ 06 The CID has studied the Commission report of over 67,000 pages and identified 43 recommendations to be implemented by entities outside the Police Department.

¶ 07 I table Annex 2 listing those 43 recommendations identified for implementation outside the Police.

¶ 08 We have made significant progress. Sensitive matters cannot yet be disclosed in the House. Asad Maulana has been identified as a key witness; multiple teams are investigating based on his information, and lawful diplomatic steps are underway to bring him to Sri Lanka.

¶ 09 A group linked to intelligence may have given or withheld support to the extremist group to fulfil a political objective; a deep criminal investigation is ongoing into that matter.

¶ 10 Based on fundamental rights judgments in the Easter cases, disciplinary action has commenced against senior police officers. We will fulfil our pledge to the people to deliver law and justice, and we will not allow extremism or racism to raise their heads. If laws are insufficient, we will bring new laws to defeat extremism and racism. Thank you.