“Channel 4 Easter Bombing claim”: Ministers contradict

Two Sri Lankan ministers contradicted a discussion held at the Cabinet meeting over the latest “Channel 4 Easter Bombing documentary” which claims that the current intelligence chief in Sri Lanka, Suresh Sallay was complicit in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

Major General Sallay hatched the plot while working for the directorate of military intelligence with the objective of creating instability to clear the way for Rajapaksas to return to power, The Times newspaper said on Monday, based on the UK-based Channel 4 documentary.

Cabinet Spokesman Bandula Gunawardena, who is also the Minister of Transport , Highways and Mass Media denied of any discussion took place at Monday’s cabinet meeting, while Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said the cabinet decided to appoint a Special Parliament Committee to look into the Channel 4 claim.

“There was no discussion in the cabinet,” Gunawaredena told reporters at the weekly Cabinet media briefing when he was asked if the cabinet discussed anything about the claim by the British TV channel.

“We discussed only what was there in the agenda.”

But, Minister Nanayakkara, however, responding to a question raised by an opposition parliamentarian said the cabinet decided to appoint a Special Parliamentary Committee.

“As a responsible government, the cabinet decided on this and there will be an announcement on a Special Parliamentary Committee,” Nanayakkara said.

“In addition to this, internationally, if any investigations are required, the cabinet discussed yesterday to go ahead with it. We will not hesitate to act on this.”

Both ministers, however, said such videos by Channel 4 have been released in the past to make Sri Lanka’s human rights position at the United Nations’ Human Rights sessions worse.

“With the latest revelations by Channel 4 which has raised serious allegations that the allies of the former presidents Rajapaksas had associations with the Islamic extremists to bring the Rajapaksas to the power and made it difficult to investigate the massacre, the Ministers renewed their call for a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the suicide attacks on churches and hotels that killed 269 people.” Two ministers said in the statement.

In a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, aired yesterday (Tuesday) on the British television station, Maulana alleged that the meeting took place in the East and that he was also present.

Maulana alleged the meeting took place between Easter Sunday bomber Zahran Hashim and head of the State Intelligence Service Suresh Sallay.

The former TMVP spokesman, who has now sought asylum overseas, has shared the information with the UN and the EU as well as other diplomatic missions.

END.