The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on the April 2019 Easter attacks recorded a statement from former President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday for more than three hours.
The Additional Solicitor General appearing on behalf of the state questioned the former President Maithripala Sirisena as to whether he would agree if evidence has been received by the Commission that the National Security Council not paying much attention to the information received on extremism paved way for the series of bomb blasts on the 21st of April last year.
In response, the former President said: “No, I completely deny it. The relevant authorities had not acted upon the information received, and they had neglected to implement the advise given to them for years. They had reported nothing about such an attack. The naval intelligence units were strong in the eastern region. But nobody informed me about the trial motorcycle blast in Thalankuda on the 16th April”.
Then one of the commissioners, a former Judge of the Court of Appeal enquired the former president; “Honourable former president, do you read Sri Lankan newspapers even when you’re abroad?”.
The former president replied that he usually does so, but didn’t this time as he had gone for treatment and wasn’t focusing on newspapers.
“I just enquired so, to see whether you were aware of the April 16 trial blast of a motorcycle by Zahran’s gang at least through a newspaper report”, the commissioner, who is a former Judge of the Court of Appeal said in reply.
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