Sri Lankan's Ex-Intel Chief Named Suspect In Easter Attack Case

Colombo: Sri Lanka's former state intelligence service chief Suresh Sally has been named a suspect in the probe into the 2019 Easter bombings, police said on Thursday. The police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) made the disclosure before the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court.

Sallay, who was arrested last month, is currently under detention. A High Court trial-at-bar is currently underway with over 20 suspects charged with aiding, abetting, and funding the Jihadi group blamed for carrying out the attack.

Sallay was arrested on February 25 for questioning as part of efforts to trace the mastermind behind the coordinated suicide bombings that devastated churches and five-star hotels in the island nation.

On April 21, 2019, over 270 people, including 11 Indians, were killed when suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS carried out a series of blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

There were allegations that the defence establishment had prior intelligence about the impending attacks, including warnings shared by India, but failed to act in time.

The then government, led by President Maithripala Sirisena, was accused of inaction to prevent the attacks despite intelligence shared by India. Sallay was serving in a diplomatic position overseas when the attacks took place. A retired Major General, he had headed the state intelligence service under the Rajapaksa government before 2015.

The current National People's Power (NPP) government reopened the Easter terror attack investigations in late 2024, stating that political influence had earlier led to a cover-up.

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