Easter Attacks: SIS did not share intel with Military Intelligence, says Witness

by Zulfick Farzan 13-12-2021 | 6:28 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Former Director of Military Intelligence Brigadier (Retired) Chula Rathnasiri Kodithuwakku told the Colombo Permanent High Court Trail-at-Bar that, the Foreign Intel on the Easter Attacks supposedly received by the Head of State Intelligence on the 4th of April 2019, was not received by him until after the attacks.

On Monday (13) the Retired Military Intelligence Officer testified in court in the case filed against Ex-Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, on the charge that he failed to prevent the attacks from taking place.

His testimony was recorded in the presence of Justices Namal Balalle, Aditya Patabandige, and Mohamed Irsadeen.

The Former Director of Military Intelligence Brigadier (Retired) Chula Rathnasiri Kodithuwakku told the court that he was strictly monitoring the actions of Zaharan Hashim and his group of religious extremists and he informed the Secretaries of Defence, IGP, and other responsible officials on nine separate occasions from 2017 to April 2021, with regard these extremists.

He said that no attempts were made to arrest the extremists until the attacks took place.

The Former Director of Military Intelligence Brigadier (Retired) Chula Rathnasiri Kodithuwakku told the Court that he informed these matters to Ex-Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, Ex-IGP Pujith Jayadunara, National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis among others.

The witness said that he believes it is the responsibility of the Head of State Intelligence to inform the President and the State Minister of Defence of the Foreign Intel he received on the 4th of April 2019, claiming that an attack was imminent.

The Former Director of Military Intelligence Brigadier (Retired) Chula Rathnasiri Kodithuwakku noted that since information is critical, the matter should have been discussed at the Intelligence Review Meeting on the 9th of April 2019.

He said there was nothing preventing the Head of State Intelligence to discuss the matter with the top-ranked officials who take decisions on National Security.

He also told the court that the intelligence received was only shared with the Head of State Intelligence, and was not directly exchanged with the President.