STF kept in the dark over pre-Easter Sunday attack intelligence

• STF head says could have helped prevent attacks if crucial intelligence shared beforehand 
• Says information only given after attacks carried out
• Questions why STF was left out of communication loop 

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Appearing before the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to investigate the Easter attacks, Commandant of Police Special Task Force (STF) Senior Deputy Inspector General M.R. Latheef yesterday said the attacks could have been prevented if intelligence had been shared with the STF, but that they were only informed afterwards. 

Referring to the controversial advanced notification issued highlighting the threat, which was not received by some of the important law enforcement agencies in the country, Latheef said: “In that letter, the only place which was specifically mentioned was the Indian High Commission. The STF Headquarters is located near the Indian High Commission. Therefore, we provided STF security to the Indian High Commission since 10 April. But I did not get any details about churches and hotels, which were part of the possible targets of the terrorists.”

Responding to questions raised on the SFT’s ability to prevent a terrorist attack if known in advance, Latheef said: “The STF can launch operations on our own. But we should be summoned and given orders as to what is required. This is the procedure. The STF acts only when a special task is assigned to them. If we had been given information, we could have deployed our teams in churches and hotels, preventing the attacks.”

Senior DIG Latheef also stated that the STF could have intervened even if the alert was received on the day of the attack. “I heard from the media that there had been information about the possible locations of the attack as of 20 April. If that information had been given to us, even on the eve of 20 April, we could have prevented the disaster. We are one of the main counter-terrorism bodies in the country, and we have proven our capabilities. But we were kept in the dark. My question is why was the STF not informed, and why did those who shared that information not think that the STF was important enough to share that information with?” he questioned.