Suicide bomber’s widow gave info to Indian intel: Witness

PCoI probe on Easter Sunday attacks

By Yoshitha Perera   

State Intelligence Service (SIS) is closely monitoring into the fact that the early information about the Easter attacks was provided by Sarah Jesmine, widow of Katuwapitiya Church suicide bomber, to the Indian intelligence agency, SIS officer, on Wednesday informed the PCoI probing Easter Sunday attacks. 

 The witness who wished to stay anonymous informed the Commission that the Indian intelligence agency, who warned about Easter Sunday attacks, had obtained specific information related to attacks from someone within Zahran Hashim’s inner circle.   

It was initially believed that Sarah was killed during the Sainthamaruthu blast which occurred at the NTJ safe-house on April 26, 2019 but later the police found sufficient evidence to show that she had fled to India by sea in September 2019.   

“Sarah was born in Thethativu as a Hindu but was later converted to Islam by Abdul Razik, leader of the Sri Lanka Thawheed Jamaath (SLTJ). He also got her married to Hastun, the suicide bomber of Katuwapitiya Church. She has two national identity cards, one as Pulastini Rajendran and the other as Sarah Jesmine,” witness said.   
Witness said that in the explosion which had taken place on the night of April 26, it had been reported that Sarah had also died but a recent Government Analyst’s DNA report mentioned that Sarah was not present at the site of the blast.   

The witness said that by the end of May 2019, he had sent a report to SIS HQ about those who had seen Sarah alive after April 26, 2019.   
“I know that this report was discussed at the National Security Council (NSC),” witness said.   
Chairman of the PCoI asked the witness that a foreign intelligence agency had given SIS specific information about the attacks on April 09 and 20, 2019. “Who could have provided that intelligence agency with such specific information?” he asked.   

The witness said that only those in the inner circle of Zahran could have known the imminent attacks. Even senior NTJ members were not aware of information with regard to the attacks.   
“Apart from those who took part in the attacks, Zahran’s wife and Nawfer Moulavi knew about the attacks. Both are in custody,” witness said.   

Responding to a question made by a commissioner witness said that Zahran’s wife had informed the CID that Sarah was privy to the information.   

The witness was also asked would the Indian intelligence agency would have safely extracted its agent after the operation.  The SIS officer said that if they had inserted an operative into a terrorist cell, they would also have a plan to safely extract that person after the operation.   

• Senior NTJ members were unaware of the information regarding the attacks