Rs. 365 m of cash, assets of Easter Sunday attack suspects confiscated: IGP

Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne yesterday went public with the status quo of the investigations carried out so far on those responsible for the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickramaratne

The IGP said that 723 persons had been arrested in connection with the attack and that the suspects were currently in custody or under detention orders.

He also said over 100,000 phone conversations investigated over the incident and Rs. 365 million in cash and assets had been confiscated so far.

While claiming that investigations conducted into statements made by various people on the Easter Sunday attacks had proved to be baseless, Wickramaratne said those who make such statements would have to face legal action.

Making a special statement yesterday, he said various people and groups had expressed various opinions on the Easter Sunday attacks and the people connected to it. 

“For instance, certain people claim that investigations should be completed within a certain time period and groups of people and individuals named by them have organised and committed the attacks,” he said.

He said comprehensive investigations were conducted into the content of statements made by certain people and found out that they were baseless and mere statements. 

“People should express facts which could be taken before a court and requested people to provide information to the CID before filing indictments, if they have any,” he said.

The IGP also said the Easter Sunday attacks carried out by Zaharan Hashim and his group in 2019 was not a single crime planned in a short period of time and that investigations revealed it was a well-planned terrorist act.

The IGP said that several incidents that took place before the Easter attacks had to be taken into consideration and it appears to have been a well-planned terrorist act for a long time.

He added that investigations into the incident were being carried out in complete secrecy and disclosure of information to the public could be an obstacle to court proceedings. 

“Due to the lack of proper understanding of the police investigations into the Easter attacks, various persons have made several opinions regarding those investigations,” Wickramaratne added.