By Tassie Seneviratne –
Suicide bombers blasted three churches packed with devotees and three luxury hotels killing a total of 270 people on Easter Sunday, 21st April 2019.
It has been since established that the suicide bombers belonged to the National Thowheed Jamaath terrorist group. Did they have connections with the ISIS?
Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, in his testimony, mentions a high-ranking Sri Lankan Security official who paid a large sum of money to the attackers on the eve of the attack. Why was this not investigated?
Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara has also mentioned about a State Intelligence officer who had met the assailant before detonating the bomb at a lodge in Dehiwela. Was this investigated?
Why was the then DIG of the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID), Nalaka Silva, who was investigating Saharan’s activities, abruptly imprisoned on some absurd charge? Who was behind this?
What was the reason for Pulasthini Rajendran alias Sara Jasmine, the wife of the terrorist who attacked the Katuwapitiya Church, to flee to India or disappear suddenly after the current government came to power? If Sarah Jasmine is in India, has the government discussed with India at diplomatic level to bring her back?
All these matters that have not been duly investigated, are matters that indicate there had been a plan, a conspiracy, directed and led centrally. The list of questions goes on like a ballad that has no ending; yet these questions beg for answers.
In a TV interview, Harin Fernando, MP, repeating some of the above facts, went on to suggest some very pertinent questions such as: For whose benefit were the bombings carried out and, who benefitted from it? The answers to the MP’s questions raise an area of other related matters.
The inquiries into the Easter Sunday bombings have thus far dealt only with related matters which occurred during the last 10 days or so of the bombings, including the information received from India. But many other incidents which occurred from time to time previously, about three/four years before at the hands of the very same terrorist outfit now freely spoken of, have not been dealt with.
It has also been reported that the Ministry of Defense had sponsored and paid extremist organizations, including Saharan, through public funds from 2010 – 2015. In fact, all these incidents are related to each other, not separate isolated incidents. Had inquiries been made on that basis, the reason for these attacks, for whose benefit and who benefited from them, would be evident. Secretary/Defense at the time payments were made to this terrorist organization was Gotabaya Rajapaksa. In like manner, that too needs to be investigated.
The Police and the Military Intelligence have apparently not seen the connection in this light nor presented composite cumulative intelligence reports. Instead various incidents have been dealt with only as common crimes in an ad hoc manner. The connection had missed their attention.
A further significance of the intelligence let-down is that the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, (PCI) meeting at leisure, did neither comprehend nor figure out the total context of the events of the last few days with the incidents during the previous three/four years.
The Conspiracy Theory
Prima facie evidence has now come up revealing a conspiracy in the Easter Sunday bombings. Outgoing Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera (DdL) too, having gone through all investigation notes, has come to the conclusion of the conspiracy theory. This indicates that the investigation has not been properly handled to a logical conclusion. If properly investigated it would lead to a larger picture. Surely, none of the conspirators would have acted on his own. They have all acted in concert. Then who was the leader?
The conspirators have undoubtedly acted in concert. But not so the investigators into the conspiracy. On the contrary, they have been working at cross purposes. Out-going AG, DdL, only mentions in passing, that there has been a conspiracy in the Easter Sunday Bombings. He did not think it fit to discuss the conspiracy forthwith with the CID before leaving. Rather curious attitude!
There were investigating officers in the CID with undisputed expertise. In this case, when the CID team led by S/DIG Ravi Seneviratne was getting a breakthrough in the conspiracy theory, Shani Abeysekara, who was assisting him is arrested on trumped up charges, signalling the knell to a well-planned cohesive investigation. As to who gave the orders for this arrest, adds to the mysteries.
Is the CID presently not privy to all this? What excuse has the CID not to go all out to investigate the conspiracy to a logical conclusion on the prima facie evidence that has been disclosed? Little wonder, speculation is rife that the CID has been transformed to a hit-squad and has lost its essential purpose.
Does the IG Police who stated in public that he has been given a free hand to do his job, not see the importance and urgency to investigate this conspiracy?
In fairness to all the people who were killed in the bombings, and to the people who are eagerly watching the progress of the investigation, is it not high time that a full-scale investigation be ordered, perhaps with assistance from Scotland Yard and allowing independent observers? It is only such a step that will show there is nothing to hide?
*The writer is a Retired Senior Superintendent of Police. He can be contacted at seneviratnetz@gmail.com
Nathan / September 19, 2021
Tassie Seneviratne, Sir,
Your, ‘Rather curious attitude!’, sums up the state of our legal system.
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I have no doubt that the planning and execution received the blessings of the most powerful authority, who is presently beyond the reach of any sleuth!
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If it is the $s that is holding you from taking up the case as a private investigator, I am certain that that could be overcome.
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Dinuk / September 19, 2021
Tassie: The bigger conspiracy is the Cover up of the US-Saudi owned and operated ISIS claimed Easter attacks in Sri Lanka by foreign inteligence agencies like the FBI whihc removed evidence such as the Cell Phones of the Suicide bombers.
more than 8 foreign intelligence agencies arrived in the country to investigate – FBI, Britain’s Schotland yard or MI6, RAW, Aussie intell, Chinese, Ruassian, Israeli etc.
Saudi Embassy in Colombo had advanced notice of the bombings and asked its citizens to leave.
US diplomats were found at JAIC Hilton with bomb materials by police sniffer dots ets. Please read the book: “The ISIS is US: the Shocking Truth Behind the Army of Terror” and know the truth! Sri Lanka is in the midst of US Hybrid War on China at this time and US desperately wants a military base in strategic Lanka to secure Submarine or Undersea Data Cables (UDC).
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Nathan / September 19, 2021
Even if we leave the guesses out, we must be concerned about knowing who the culprit is. When I say culprit, I am narrowing it down to a single individual. Yes, the mastermind!
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The way it happened, there was no aim for a person of standing. The target was the ordinary folks. The outcome reflects that the aim was to cause panic and diversion.
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One question emerges. Who is the mastermind who would have benefited by the rampage caused.
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soma / September 21, 2021
If that Master Mind could preach the Holy Book and brainwash Zahran to commit suicide with the whole family , leaving aside the criminal liability, that is a Noble prize worthy tallent.
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Soma
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Eagle Eye / September 19, 2021
Every year Muslim extremists carry out hundreds of attacks all over the world mainly targeting Christians and Catholics probably to take revenge for what Western countries have done to Muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Libya.
In Sri Lanka, majority of LTTE leaders were Catholics or pretended to be Catholics to get sympathy from Western countries saying that majority Sinhala Buddhists are persecuting minority Tamil Catholics. The sympathy from some Tamil Catholic priests towards LTTE Tamil terrorists is not a secret. Given that background it is possible to think that Muslim extremists targeted Catholic Churches where Tamils attended the masses on Easter Sunday to take revenge for chasing them from Yapanaya giving 48 hour notice and massacring hundreds of Muslim men and boys praying in a mosque at Kattankudy. They also targeted hotels frequented by tourists from Western countries.
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Ajay Sundara Devan / September 19, 2021
Gota’s deep state intelligence is the mastermind behind both the Easter Carnage and the ensuing fake commission and bogus investigation. The whole country knows this. But it is safer to pretend to believe in the false narratives spread by the Rajapaksa-military regime and its media whores.
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Sarath / September 19, 2021
Thanks Mr Seneviratne. Now I know what the hoo-ha is all about. Some clarity is coming together in my mind. I cannot neglect to condole with the relatives of those who died.
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Plato / September 19, 2021
Loaded questions from an exemplary Policeman of yore. Be thou for ever!
Perhaps, DdL who had read all the reports, knew intuitively the identity of the MasterMind. He merely said that there was something more to it than meets the eye.,on the eve of his departure as Attorney General.
…….A further significance of the Intelligence-letdown is that the Presidential Committee of Inquiry[ PCI] meeting at leisure………..says Tassie
The PCI may have called for the Menu served on the day of the Bombing.
If Pork was on the list they would have, by a process of logic deduced that the Muslims were responsible!
Am I to laugh or to cry! ?
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leelagemalli / September 19, 2021
Rajapakshe External Politics: Even 6.9 mio of mercy cows scratch their ears today: Failure is predestinated from inception:
1. Nalinda Silva – an ultra sinhala racist with loads of venom from his conception (also reported to have earned a doctorate in sinhala heritage/supremacism- is reported to be back from Myanmar. Whether Virathu et al (siamese twin of Galabodaya) raped NDS’s head during his tenure is not yet known. What will be the next step to NDS ? However, not much came out about NDS aka „Arsenic God“ yet about his HAPANKAM.
2. Milinda Moragoda, known as being caught by WIKILEAKs for his controversal remarks seems tob e failing to do the job in India. Who would be the next to India ?
3. Ravinath Ariyasingha – is leaving US for home/ with Mahinda Samarasinghe being caught by the speculations tob e next Ambassador to the US in Washington.
4. Neela Wickramasinge – with zero knolwedge in diplomacy tobe posted to ITALY pleasing labourer-led sinhala diaspora in that country ?
5. Another backlicker is being posted to Australia amidst protests from sinhala diaspora in down under
6. What have DOUBLE PAKSHE govt, they achieved so far ? nothing, nothing nothing nothing.
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Sarath / September 19, 2021
Addendum: So it seems, knowing people know the story but cannot talk. CID-hit squad ready to deal with them. Adai-amma, muddy water becoming clearer and clearer.
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Ajith / September 19, 2021
Truths are always covered up or ignored by Buddhist Sinhala majority?
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soma / September 19, 2021
There is a conspiracy behind conspiracy theories.
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Soma
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old codger / September 20, 2021
Maybe I could be arrested for knowing too much about bomb-making, but here goes:
Why was Bathiudeen arrested for selling copper scrap to a relative of the bomber? Which sane bomb maker would use expensive copper when he can get gravel free, or even steel scrap?
Was any copper actually found in the bombs? By this sort of logic, those who sold the switches, batteries, wires, and even the backpacks should be in jail. Did the CID check who sold Zaharan his underwear?
This alone is a good reason why we need not only foreign judges but foreign Police.
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soma / September 21, 2021
If a Sinhala politician could preach the Holy Book and brainwash Zahran to commit suicide with the whole family , leaving aside the criminal liability, that is a Noble prize worthy tallent.
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Good Cardinal is entrapped in political correctness. Being the Cardinal he can’t call spade a spade. He KNOWS the source of inspiration.
Aiyo pow!
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Soma
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Rajash / September 20, 2021
for gods sake (which ever God of u r faith) there is no need for Scotland Yard.
The regime knows who dun it
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soma / September 21, 2021
I know it too.
The guy is in heaven and any Sri Lankan arrest warrant is not valid there.
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Soma
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