Former President Maithripala Sirisena has neglected his responsibility to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks, says the Deputy Leader of the United National Party Ruwan Wijewardena.

He said that the former President as the Minister of Defense had neglected his responsibility by going abroad before the Easter attack.

He was speaking to the media after giving evidence before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter attack yesterday (25).

"The State Minister of Defense did not have any real powers. I was in charge of the Ranaviru Authority, the Defense School, the Defense Staff College, ”he said.

"The police, the intelligence and the armed forces did not come under my control, so I cannot say that the security of the country was in my hands and that I was second to none. When these subjects were taken up the Minister of Defense had all those subjects. National security was in the hands of the then President, ”said UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardena.