30 May 2019 03:10 pm
President Maithripala Sirisena today denied media reports that he was informed about any pending attack on April 21, the President’s Media Division said in a statement.
It said in a statement that there were media reports of a statement made by the Head of the National Intelligence Service, while giving evidence at the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to look into the April 21 terrorist attacks.
The media reports stated that the National Security Council did not meet after February 2019.
As there were media reports appearing unofficially on the proceedings of the NSC, it was decided to establish an NSC with a new format and this has been in operation for more than one year. The new NSC has been meeting every two weeks and, on some occasions the President has convened the meetings of the NSC every week, it said.
Furthermore, on April 8, 2019, the President has convened the monthly meeting of the Inspector General of Police and senior police officers. This meeting was held for more than two hours and none of the police officers informed the President that advance reports on a possible terrorist attack had been received.
Neither the Defence Secretary, Inspector General of Police nor any other officer had informed the President about a warning letter received from a friendly foreign country about the impending April 21 terrorist attack, the statement said.