Alleged Cover-Up in Easter Attack Intelligence, Claims Gammanpila

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila said that the Sarva Jana Balaya will be taking steps to bring forward a motion against the President.

Speaking at a press conference, he stated that the motion is based on several issues, including the failure to disclose the reports of two committees appointed by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding the Easter Sunday terror attack.

Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila attended a press conference today, bringing with him two reports commissioned by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe to investigate the Easter Sunday terror attacks. 

These reports were prepared by the committees led by S.I. Imam and A.N.J. de Silva.

Gammanpila stated that he received these reports via post, which had been previously submitted to the former President.

During the press conference, Gammanpila disclosed several key findings from the A.N.J. de Silva committee report, which was tasked with examining whether there were any lapses by the police or intelligence services in relation to the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

Attorney-at-Law Udaya Gammanpila, Leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, has accused the President of misusing his power to suppress critical intelligence reports related to the Easter Sunday attacks.

"In the 40th page of this report, it states that on April 9, 2019, the Director of State Intelligence informed the Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that foreign intelligence had warned of a planned suicide attack by Mohamed Zaharan and the National Thowheeth Jama'ath on several prominent Catholic churches. Who was this Senior DIG? It was Ravi Seneviratne, the current Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security," Gammanpila stated.

He further explained that at the time the letter arrived on April 9, Ravi Seneviratne was abroad and only saw the letter upon his return on April 16. "When government officials travel abroad, they must appoint someone to cover their duties. Accordingly, Deputy Inspector General Nagahamulla was appointed to cover for the CID. This raises the question of how the letter remained on Ravi Seneviratne's desk for a week without reaching Nagahamulla. Investigators questioned the staff of the Senior DIG's office. Their response was that Ravi Seneviratne had instructed not to open or forward any 'confidential' letters until he returned," Gammanpila added.

Gammanpila highlighted that Seneviratne reviewed the letter on April 16 and noted that an investigation should be conducted and progress reported by May 1. 

However, the letter was only handed over to Deputy Inspector General Nagahamulla on April 19. 

"Mysteriously, the letter did not reach Nagahamulla until after the bombings on April 21. It was finally sent on April 22, the day after the bombings. This urgent letter remained with Ravi Seneviratne for 12 days. Not only did it sit on his desk for a week, but he also gave until May 1 to report on it. What does this indicate? It suggests that Ravi Seneviratne did not read the letter or understand its gravity," he said.

Gammanpila accused the President of using his power to suppress these reports to protect his political allies.

"The public has the right to know the contents of a report funded by public money. Suppressing this information violates the fundamental rights to freedom of thought and information guaranteed by the Constitution. If the President does not fulfill these two actions—immediately removing Ravi Seneviratne from his position and apologizing to the nation for deliberately withholding information from the public to protect his political allies—we will proceed with a no-confidence motion against the President in the next Parliament session," Gammanpila warned.