EP Senior DIG in the dark about NTJ activity intelligence reports

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Senior DIG tells PSC he received no intelligence reports on Zahran activities
Says was only aware of warrant against Zahran for clashes with Muslim sect
Initial investigations into motorcycle explosion done by local Police
IGP kept informed of developments

By Chandani Kirinde

Head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Nilantha Jayawardena had submitted a comprehensive report to IGP Pujith Jayasundera on 18 April, three days before the Easter attacks, which identified Zahran and his organisation as being behind a motorcycle explosion that took place in the Kattankudy area a few days earlier, it was revealed at a Parliamentary Committee meeting yesterday.

The report also referred to the National Thowheed Jamal (NTJ) as a dangerous group with its base in Kattankudy, and said its members were undergoing training in a hideout in Nuwara Eliya.

Extracts of the report sent by the SIS Chief to the IGP were read out by members of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the terror attacks as they questioned Eastern Province Senior DIG Kapila Jayasekera, who appeared as a witness before the Committee.

However, the Senior DIG said he was unaware of any such intelligence report. He said the local Police carried out the initial investigations into the explosion of the motorcycle, which was reported to the Kattankudy police station on 17 April, and the CID had then taken over.

“We promptly traced the chassis number of the motorcycle through the RMV (Registration of Motor Vehicles Department) and identified its owner. We found the motorcycle had been owned by several persons, and began recording statements from them. I kept the IGP informed of these developments. Soon after, the CID took over the investigations,” DIG Jayasekera, who has served in the Eastern Province since August 2017, disclosed.

Jayasekera said he was unaware of any intelligence reports about Zahran’s activities in the area prior to the suicide bombings, and only knew that there was an arrest warrant on him for attacking a member of another Muslim sect.

He also said he had not received the intelligence report that was sent by the IGP on 9 April to some DIGs, in which there was warning of possible suicide bomb attacks on churches, and in which Zahran was identified by name.

“We conduct monthly intelligence review meetings of the Province. There were no reports of any terrorist activity. There was relative peace prevailing in the area,” he said.

The Senior DIG said that it is only verified intelligence information that is shared, and it is possible that the report sent by the SIS chief to the IGP was not verified, and hence he was not informed about it.

He admitted that in the aftermath of the attacks, the need for better communication between different State security agencies has become evident.

The PSC committee comprised of Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri (Chairman), MPs Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Ashu Marasinghe, Sarath Fonseka, Ravi Karunanayake, Rauff Hakeem, M.A. Sumanthiran and Dr Jayampathi Wickremaratne.