Did Govt. ask for America’s FBI report ?If not why? asks UNP

Colombo, June 18 (Daily Mirror) - The United National Party (UNP) yesterday raised questions over the failure of the present government to ask for the material on the investigation carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Easter Sunday attacks since it has restarted the investigations.

The party made this query through a statement. The statement stated the following.

On Nov. 12 2020, FBI Special Agent Merrilee R. Godwin of the FBI filed a 71-page affidavit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Following a two year investigation, a criminal case was filed on Dec. 11, 2020, in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The defendants named in the complaint (Mohamed Naufar, Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Riskan and Ahamed Milhan Hayathu Moahmed), along with other suspects linked to the attacks, were already detained in Sri Lanka at the time of filing the case. The entire material pertaining to the U.S. investigation is available with the FBI and or the Department of Justice. Since the government has restarted the investigation, has an application been made to the U.S. government for this material, and what has been the reply? If not, why has the government not done so? This material must be made available to the judicial authorities in Sri Lanka.

On the 21st of April 2019, following the Easter Sunday Attacks, the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe requested a full investigation and a report by the U.S. Government into the attack, as the Sri Lankan investigative agencies did not have adequate expertise. The Prime Minister assured the full cooperation of the Sri Lankan authorities. Subsequently, on April 22, during a phone call between the then Prime Minister and U.S. President Donald Trump, a similar request was made.

The FBI carried out a full investigation into the attacks, in collaboration with the Sri Lankan authorities including the CID, Military Intelligence and State Intelligence Services. On the basis of all the information recorded and the material collected, a report was issued by the FBI to the Sri Lankan government. This was accepted by all the relevant authorities in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the UNP has disassociated itself with a sentiment expressed by former MP Ashu Marasinghe who has praised Director CID Shani Abeysekera. The party said Marasinghe is not a member of the UNP.