19 March, 2024

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‘Sonic’ Sallay Orders CID To Expedite Arrest Of Father Cyril Gamini

State Intelligence Services (SIS) Chief Suresh Sallay has ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director to arrest prominent Catholic priest Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, Colombo Telegraph reliably learns.

Major General Sallay directed CID Director SSP Rohana Premaratne to make the arrest before the Catholic church commences a wave of protests against the SIS Chief for threatening reprisals against its clergy for raising questions about the involvement of state intelligence operatives in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

Father Cyril Gamini Fernando

Authoritative sources told Colombo Telegraph that Sallay had promised SSP Premaratne that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would promote him as DIG CID in short order if the CID Director arrested the Catholic priest immediately. Interestingly, none of the four CID directors appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa have locked horns with Major General Sallay and survived to tell the tale.

Earlier this week the SIS Director lodged a token complaint against Father Gamini with the CID as a pretext to facilitate the arrest. Father Gamini had made a presentation at a webinar on October 24, 2021 outlining the links between the Easter Sunday bombers and state intelligence operations.

Colombo Telegraph learns that Sallay had used his close relationship with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to prevent a coordinated opposition response to reports that the Government’s intelligence chief was harassing the Catholic clergy. There has been zero response from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya against this blatant intimidation of religious leaders from the head of the country’s intelligence services.

Sallay similarly advised Premadasa not to make an issue of the illegal raid of SJB MP Harin Fernando’s home in June this year.

A man who has remained in the shadows of the security establishment for much of his career, Major General Sallay has been a staunch loyalist of Gotabaya Rajapaksa since when the current President served as Defence Secretary. Since Rajapaksa assumed office as President, Sallay has assumed full control of the state security apparatus. Colombo Telegraph learns that even the President’s innermost circle remain wary of crossing the powerful SIS Chief.

The CID and the Attorney General also function under his direct authority.

Maj. General Suresh Sallay served as head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence between 2006-2016. [Image Source: www.army.lk]

Under the Gotabaya Rajapaksa presidency, the CID has been reduced to little more than a king’s guard. Their primary focus has been exonerating high profile criminals with ties to the Rajapaksas such as MiG dealer Udayanga Weeratunga, former SriLankan CEO Kapila Chandrasena who was implicated in the airbus corruption scandal, bond scammer Arjun Aloysius, and accused murderers Pillaiyan and Wasantha Karannagoda.

The CID has prioritized political witch-hunts directed by Major General Sallay, including the persecution of attorney Hejaaz Hizbullah, SJB MP Harin Fernando and former CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekera.

In return for Sallay’s bidding and keeping the Government’s allies out of jail, the CID leadership has been allowed to turn the once elite detective agency into a for-profit enterprise. In exchange for large sums of cash, businessmen with deep pockets have frequently used the CID to arrest opponents in civil disputes and charge them in criminal courts. It has become a common practice for the CID to threaten civil litigants in business disputes with arrest and for the threats to be withdrawn after what amounts to a ransom is paid to the businessmen who retained/hired the CID. The practice has flourished since the recent appointment of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s fifth CID Director Rohana Premaratne who is known among his peers for having married wealthy women several times and using the civil courts to divorce them and keep their assets. Premaratne is now able to apply this skill-set at scale in partnership with unscrupulous businessmen, to profit from turning the CID into a private mafia.

So long as the CID continues to faithfully hunt those who speak out against the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime, like Father Cyril Gamini, Hejaaz Hizbullah, Rishard Bathiudeen, Champika Ranawaka, Harin Fernando, Rajitha Senaratne, Eran Wickremaratne and Shani Abeysekera, President Rajapaksa and his inner circle will turn a blind eye to the misdeeds of the agency’s leadership.

With the main opposition SJB evidently under Maj. General Suresh Sallay’s thumb it remains to be seen whether the Catholic community alone can muster sufficient support to keep Father Cyril Gamini and his fellow Catholic clergymen from facing a vicious reprisal for daring to ask glaring questions about the bomb attacks that killed 260 people in 2019.  (Nimal Ratnaweera)

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Latest comments

  • 43
    1

    Perhaps Gandasara Hamuduruwo should also be appointed as Sally’s deputy.
    So many Presidential cats are coming out of their bags now, eh?

  • 28
    1

    Hold your breath. A “Presidential Task Force” has been appointed to undertake the task of implementing the “Saubagye Dekma” – “ONE COUNTRY ONE LAW”. According to the Gazette Notice published by the President’s Secretary “Rev” Galagodaaththe, Ganasara has been appointed as the “HEAD” of this “Task Force” with another 12 members to assist him.

    It could have been after this appointment of the “Task Force” that “SONIC” would have gotten into “Super Sonic” mode to direct the CID to “Arrest” Father Cyril Gamini. This “Task Force” could even “Re-name” that “One Country One Law” to be “ONE GOTA ONE LAW”.

    • 4
      0

      Hi Simon,
      I was told by a knowledgeable, that Maru Sira visited Singapore, decamping Thirupathy, to be closed to the people in Kuala Lumpur, without making the fact too clear to all, being close tothe military attaché in KL Sri Lankan HC at that time so that he is secure and also monitored so that he does not intervene to stop “the carnage” midway in SL in Easter Sunday operations!
      Do you have any information on this or any supporting differing info?

      • 5
        0

        Mahil: This “Maru Sira’s” capabilities are unfathomable and unpredictable. You remember how he had a “Hopper” dinner with MR and without any shame defected the next morning and secured a nomination to be the “Common” Presidential candidate. Then in 2018, in violation of the Constitution appointed “MR” as the PM with his cabinet. Also, please note how he “Purposely” avoided summoning of the “Security Council” meetings and “Eliminated” the presence of the then IGP at those meetings. The information on “Easter Sunday Attack” was available much in advance of his trip abroad. Do you believe that he as the “Head” of the country’s security was not aware of an “Imminent” threat made known to his Government by a Foreign Intelligence Service like “RAW”? In my opinion, this “Maru Sira” should have been “ARRESTED” at the very beginning of the inquiries and proceeded thereafter.

  • 4
    0

    SL heading for disaster.

  • 7
    0

    The bottom line is, Nandasena has appointed the fox to guard the hen house.
    It looks like there are no qualified unbiased Sri Lankan to lead this joke of a task force.
    Shame on those Muslims in this group, for they will be taking the lead from a racist who spread lies and encouraged attacks on their people.

    Nandasena has dragged out the racist scumbag of Sri Lanka to the forefront.

    It is such a strong message to the country and the world.

  • 4
    0

    Dear all
    “Authoritative sources told Colombo Telegraph that Sally had promised SSP Premaratne that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would promote him as DIG CID in short order if the CID Director arrested the Catholic priest immediately”
    The mad hatter is seeking more Acolytes to “do the dirty” to commence the brigade for a blood bath and May God intervene, as he doesn’t appear to see reason! Stupid at the least.
    No statesman/Stature to be referred as HE.
    He is trying to do what JRJ did with some “finesse”!
    He depicts the ulterior mind set and even does not come upto 1 quarter of JRJ, despite all his bad bidding in the 1980’s.
    That shows the difference in culture and social standing!
    What more to be expected of traditional Mee Harak Minders turned into computer operators by 7 Eleven? Thanks to US who wants to turn SL to ebullient point!!
    Greater conspiracy than Easter Sunday?
    To benefit whom? To welcome the Jack boot of US, by a Us citizen’s allegiance to satisfy the US intentions in Asia.
    Harak mindset in human covering!!

  • 7
    0

    Rajapaksas have declared war against the Pope, Vatican and Church, for their own existence. Last time they used those churches and followers, to return to power. Now in desperation they are going after the same for their own survival. The same Ganasara who organized violence before and after Easter is now free and appointed, to lead the campaign.

  • 8
    0

    Murderer ordering accuser to be arrested???? Wow!

    • 1
      0

      Buddhist 1,
      Good day.
      The calamity of the state of affairs in the country now, is the “Court Jester” attitude of the governance from ‘top down to the last minion’ in power.
      The alacrity of the appointment of a Buddhist Monk, who would normally be expected to be well read and versed in the Buddhist precepts of Gautama the Buddha.
      He is a Buddhist Priest and not even a laymen in which event, an excuse may be proffered for any lapse or misdemeanour! It is hard “excuse” even Buddhist Laymen, adducing laxity of adherence” of Buddhist precepts to be “overlooked”,
      The appointment of a contemptuous, sneering at opponents’ outlook and disposition of the individual is not helpful either and therefore unsuitable for this prime and critical position as the head of the Task force to unify the Sri Lankan community!? Find somebody else!
      It is far better to act now and rectify than getting our image tarnished once again!

      • 2
        1

        Apologies please.
        Forgot to add,
        “Before the SL state becomes the laughing stock of the world, even beating Myanmar at their game!!””

    • 4
      0

      “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

      They may look like gods to the 6.9 who voted them to power following the blood bath of the Easter attack and the staged attack on the innocent Muslim community that followed it but there is a God above who sees and knows all.

      • 1
        0

        Indi, If they at least pray Father forgive like Jesus prayed when tortured at the crucifixion, they will obtain eternal mercy from the true creator God, even if they have to pay for their consequences in this life. Hope their eyes open to absolute truth unknown to Gnanakkas and Gnanaiyas who own the occult only without righteousness, justice and peace from above.

  • 0
    4

    Freemasons turning on each other?
    Or just more staged ‘conflicts’ between them
    If it is the latter, the ‘father’ wont be arrested
    but told to lie low in a luxury house somewhere,
    until it is time for him to be ‘released’

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