The Government said today (22) that it refutes that it doesn’t accept the report of the committee led by retired Judge A.N.J. De Alwis, which investigated the Easter Sunday bombings, as it is viewed as politically motivated.

Cabinet Spokesperson Vijitha Herath, during the weekly Cabinet media briefing said that the committee specifically targeted former Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ravi Seneviratne and former CID Director Shani Abeysekara after their involvement with the National People’s Power's (NPP's) Retired Police Forum.

Herath noted that the NPP's Retired Police Forum was established on 9 June 2024, and the committee was appointed just three days later, on 12 June 2024.

The Minister added that the committee was initially tasked with submitting its report by 15 September, just ahead of the Presidential Election.

“This report was handed over to then President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his resident at Flower Road, Colombo. There was no media publicity for that and they haven’t recorded it either,” Herath said.

• Criminal charges should be filed against Ravi Seveviratne and Shani Abeysekara
• Maithripala Sirisena was exonerated
• Allegations against Ranil Wickremesinghe and Suresh Sallay hasn’t discussed

The report of the committee headed by retired High Court Judge A.N.J. de Alwis on Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019, was published by former MP Udaya Gammanpila today (21).

The report, prepared by a committee led by retired High Court Judge A. N. J. de Alwis, retired SLAS officer K. N. K. Somaratne, and attorney-at-law W. M. A. N. Nishane, was submitted on 14 September 2024, following an investigation into the failures of the Police, the State Intelligence Service (SIS), the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The committee was appointed by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe on 12 June 2024.

Key officials named in the report

The report specifically names retired SDIG Ravi Seneviratne who is the current Public Security Ministry Secretary and then CID Chief and Shani Abeysekara, then CID Director, for their negligence in handling intelligence related to the attacks. The report says that despite receiving critical warnings, the CID did not undertake comprehensive investigations, nor did it implement adequate preventive measures. The committee calls for criminal charges against both officials under the Penal Code.

The investigation also identified Nilantha Jayawardena, former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), as a key figure whose actions were deemed inadequate. Although he disseminated intelligence to law enforcement and other relevant bodies, the committee found that his efforts to ensure a coordinated and effective response were insufficient. The report recommends that Jayawardena face legal action for failing to act decisively to prevent the attacks.

Sisira Mendis, retired DIG and former Chief of National Intelligence (CNI), was criticized for failing to coordinate effectively between intelligence agencies. The committee found that Mendis did not take necessary steps to follow up on the intelligence, nor did he ensure a cohesive strategy was in place. The report advises criminal prosecution for his role in the breakdown of intelligence coordination.

The report also scrutinizes the conduct of Hemasiri Fernando, former Secretary of Defence Ministry, for not acting promptly on the intelligence. Despite receiving credible warnings, Fernando failed to facilitate a National Security Council (NSC) meeting or take other proactive measures to mitigate the threat. His lack of a timely response, according to the report, played a significant role in the intelligence failure. Criminal charges are recommended against him for his negligence.

The report holds Pujith Jayasundara, former Inspector General of Police (IGP), accountable for his insufficient response to the intelligence. Despite being informed of the possibility of an attack, his actions were limited to delegating tasks to a special team, without personally ensuring a thorough follow-up. The committee found that his reliance on subordinates, amid a strained relationship with then-President Maithripala Sirisena, compromised his duty to act in the public interest. The report recommends that Jayasundara face prosecution under the Penal Code for his failure to adequately address the threat.

Suspended IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, who was then DIG – Colombo North is also named in the report. The report recommended criminal prosecution and disciplinary action against him, echoing the findings of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI), for his role in the failures to act on the intelligence regarding the Easter Sunday attacks.

Sirisena, Wickremesinghe and Sallay

Interestingly, the report exonerated former President Maithripala Sirisena from allegations that he was aware of the intelligence, despite a Supreme Court ruling that ordered him to pay compensation of Rs 100 million for failing to prevent the attacks. The committee's findings contradict other inquiries that suggested Sirisena had been informed but did not take effective action to protect the public. While no criminal action was recommended against Sirisena, the report noted that lapses within the intelligence apparatus during his tenure were significant factors in the failures.

The report made no specific recommendations regarding then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, noting that he was excluded from the Supreme Court case because of his immunity as President at the time. His role, however, was not a focal point in the committee's findings.

Furthermore, the report has not addressed allegations against Suresh Sallay, an officer in the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), who was named in a Channel 4 documentary suggesting he had links to the attackers. The committee did not explore these claims or include Sallay in its recommendations, raising concerns about the thoroughness of the investigation.

Moreover,  the report emphasized the need for a legislative framework to govern intelligence operations. It proposed enacting an Intelligence Act to formalize intelligence-sharing procedures and establish clear lines of accountability. The committee also suggested reforms to improve the coordination between intelligence agencies and law enforcement, aiming to prevent similar lapses in the future.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila said that he would hand over two reports on the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks to the government if it promises to publish them, thereby granting the public access to the reports.

Gammanpila, speaking at a media briefing today (16 October), responded to Minister of Public Security Vijitha Herath's three-day ultimatum for him to submit the allegedly missing reports. Gammanpila noted that although Herath had requested the reports, he had not mentioned anything about publishing them. Therefore, Gammanpila is seeking an assurance that the reports will be made public.

Gammanpila further said he received the two reports on 10 October via post.

The reports in question were prepared by committees headed by S.I. Imam and A.N.J. de Alwis. The S.I. Imam report was submitted to the former president on 25 June 2024, while the A.N.J. de Alwis report was handed over on 14 September 2024. These reports investigated the role of the intelligence services during the Easter Sunday terror attacks and addressed allegations raised in a documentary by the United Kingdom's Channel 4. The committee chaired by retired judge A.N.J. de Alwis specifically examined the intelligence services' involvement in the attacks.

Earlier, Minister Herath claimed that these reports had gone missing. In response, Gammanpila asserted that none of the reports were missing and that he had them in his possession. He warned that if the government does not publish the reports within seven days, he would release them online.

Herath, in turn, responded by saying that Gammanpila should hand over the missing reports to the government within three days if he has them in his possession.