Easter Sunday attack special debate at Parliament: Govt says No Police Officers charged
A special awareness and a debate to inform members of parliament about the investigation report of the Easter attack. It says no police officers have been charged in connection with the attack. The Minister of Public Security says disciplinary action has been taken against several government officials who are responsible for the bomb attack. The Catholic Church accuses it is an insult to Parliament to use MPs accused of the Easter Sunday attacks to inform MPs about the investigations into the attacks.
A special meeting was held at Parliament yesterday, September 20, to inform members of Parliament about the investigation report of the Easter Sunday attack. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) was also present at this discussion which was chaired by the Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alas.
Also, Senior officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) were also called to the occasion, and the discussion was criticized by the Catholic Church in a press conference held yesterday.
During the awareness of Parliamentarians, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles said that disciplinary action has been taken against some state officers who have been found to be responsible for not taking action to prevent the Easter Sunday bomb attacks in line with the government’s decision to implement the recommendations by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry which probed the mayhem.
During the session of awareness in Parliament yesterday, 20th of Sep, he stated that as per the reports submitted by the relevant Presidential Commission of Inquiry, no police personnel have been charged in this regard, and have only been under observation thus far.
Minister Alles stated this in response to a question raised by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Hector Appuhamy, pertaining to the officials allegedly accused in connection with the attack, adding that the relevant names of the personnel were handed over to the Attorney General for further proceedings.
“Therefore, it would be wrong of me to name certain personnel, as if they are already charged, until they are rightfully prosecuted”, he said in this regard.
He further answered some questions raised by the SJB MP Appuhamy said, “I will also look into how certain video clips on Zharan who led the suicide attacks on April 21, 2019, have been leaked, “I cannot clearly say how these clips have been leaked, but I will look into it and will inform the House,” he added.
Also, Minister Alles said the report of the Presidential Commission has not held SDIG Nilantha Jayawardene responsible for the attacks.
“SDIG Jayawardene has been found guilty by the Supreme Court and has been ordered to pay compensation,” he said.
An argument erupted at this time where Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella insisted that the SDIG had been held responsible for the destruction caused by the Easter Sunday bomb attacks and MP Appuhamy said the SDIG has been named as being responsible on page 320 of the Presidential Commission report.
Then the Minister assured that he would come out with more details on the Easter Sunday bomb attacks in two days’ time.
Meanwhile, at the press conference held at the Archbishop’s House yesterday at noon, Father Cyril Gamini Fernando said that using those accused in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks in order to brief MPs on the investigations into the said attacks, is an insult to the Parliament.
The Church spokesman, Father Cyril Gamini, who strongly criticized the awareness being conducted in Parliament using those accused of the Easter Sunday attack, said “Having another debate in Parliament will not help find the real perpetrators,”
Also, Father Gamini said that the two-day debate on Channel 4 which is to begin in Parliament today will be a useless exercise if a fresh independent probe under the supervision of foreign experts does not follow.
END.
