Former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Suresh Salley is alleged to have been the mastermind of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, the Attorney General’s Department told courts on Wednesday (May 20).
Appearing for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peeris told the Colombo Fort Magistrate that the allegation was based on a statement recorded from whistleblower Azad Maulana.
Maulana was the private secretary to former Chief Minister of the Eastern Province Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillaiyan.
Context
Sallay was arrested on February 25th in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.
In March, the CID alleged that Sallay intentionally derailed the 2018 Vavunathivu police murder probe to shield Zahran Hashim's cell, and later pressured investigators to conduct a third DNA test on accomplice "Sara Jasmine" to falsely confirm her death.
They also claimed an intelligence informant under Sallay's network was actively deployed to help the terrorists scout one of the locatio prior to the attacks.
Maulana's Statement
CID officials recorded a statement from Maulana, currently exiled in France, in which he implicated Sallay as being the "mastermind" behind the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, which were carried out to fulfil a political objective.
Maulana also alleged that former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, along with Basil Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa, had visited Pillayan in prison after the Easter Sunday attacks, and that Pillayan was informed he would be released within a week of Gotabaya Rajapaksa becoming President.
Sallay's promotion to head of the State Intelligence Service following Gotabaya becoming President was a move to prevent intelligence information from reaching other institutions, it was also alleged.
The court was also informed that members of the terror cell that carried out the Easter Sunday attacks, including Zaini — identified as a brother of Zahran Hashim — had allegedly received financial assistance for bail from Military Intelligence and Pillayan.
Zaini had been remanded following a clash at the Alliyar Junction on March 10, 2017.
According to the submissions, Military Intelligence had allegedly provided Rs. 250,000 in public funds while Pillayan had contributed Rs. 50,000, with the arrangement said to have taken place at the request of Sallay.
The prosecution alleged that public funds had been used to protect persons linked to extremist activity, and claimed such actions were intended to prevent information from surfacing before an election.
Namal 's Response
Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa, in a post on his 'X' account, admitted that he did meet Pillayan in prison, but said it was for election campaigning reasons.
He met Pillayan for political reasons, as Pillayan had contested the 2015 Presidential Election and the 2018 Local Government Election as a partner in his alliance, and was not being held in custody in connection with the Easter attack.
"If the government is now trying to use this tragedy to target political opponents, it would be deeply unfair to the victims and their families, who still deserve genuine answers and justice," he also posted.
Next hearing
Although the Additional Solicitor General requested that Sallay not be produced in court in future considering threats to his life, the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court ordered the case to be recalled on July 1st.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena also ordered that Sallay be kept in custody and that steps be taken to produce him in court on that day.
The court was also told that Maulana had informed investigators he would come to Sri Lanka and reveal information regarding several crimes connected to the intelligence services if adequate protection was provided.
Comments
Moderated before publishing. Your email stays private.