UNP urges Govt. for independent probe on Shani’s claims on Easter Sunday bombings

The United National Party (UNP) yesterday urged the Government to hold an independent investigation into the claims made by former CID Director Shani Abeysekera regarding the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

UNP Chairman and former Minister of Internal and Home Affairs Wajira Abeywardena told the media yesterday that according to Abeysekera, members of the intelligence services were aware of the pending threat and failed to assist the CID in their investigations into Zahran Hashim and his associates in the lead up to the attacks. Furthermore, Abeysekera claimed to have requested an opportunity to brief the National Security Council in January 2019 regarding Zahran Hashim’s group, but the President Maithripala Sirisena did not provide the opportunity.

In the Parliamentary Select Committee report compiled in 2019 following the attacks, a similar recommendation was made that further investigations be carried out  into the claims that the intelligence services were aware of a pending threat.

“The UNP urges the Government to appoint an independent body agreeable to all political parties to investigate this matter and report back to Parliament. This investigation must be held swiftly to ensure that those responsible for the security lapse in the country are held accountable,” Abeywardena added.