'I did not give Maithripala Sirisena specific intel on Easter Attacks' - Former SIS Chief

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Former State Intelligence Service Chief & Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena told the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar that NO definite intelligence information was given to then-President Maithripala Sirisena, who was overseas at the time, with regard to the 2019 April 21st Attacks, until the attacks took place.

Testifying in court for the fifth day on Monday (29), the Senior Police Officer said NO definite information was given to the then-Prime Minister, State Defence Minister, other relevant personnel in the political authority, or the Inspector General of Police.

The Senior Police Officer testified at the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar in the case filed against Ex-Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and Ex-Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, who are charged under 855 counts individually, with failing to prevent the 2019 April 21st Terror Attacks.

In addition to DIG Jayawardena, Sri Lanka's Police Chief C. D. Wickramaratne also testified in court on Monday (29).

Wickramaratne told the court that the Inspector General of Police must conduct investigations on the intelligence material received and then follow up to protect the country from such disasters.

"In order to take action on the information given by the State Intelligence Service, those pieces of information need not be definite intel. They need not be 100% accurate. There needs to be faith in the information and quick response is required," the IGP testified in court.

He said the Inspector General of Police is not merely a Public Officer paid for by the state, by is a role vested with a special responsibility to ensure that Law and Order, as well as National Security, is maintained in the country.

The Police Chief said the IGP must personally look into the intelligence information that relates to National Security.

He further told the court that an Inspector General of Police, who is also a member of the National Security Council, should pay attention to intelligence information of possible threats to National Security, not only in the present context but for the future as well.

The case that was taken up in the presence of Justices Namal Balalle, Aditya Patabendige, and Mohamed Irshadeen was postponed to the 18th of January 2022.