Ex IGP made prior warning to four top Police officers.-Senior DIG

Former IGP Pujitha Jayasundera had given a prior warning about the Easter Sunday attacks on Catholic Churches to four of the top police officers including DIG Western Police and to the DIG-in-charge of the STF, Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon said today before the trial-at-bar at the Colombo High Court.

DIG Tennakoon made this assertion before the three judges of the trial-at-bar giving evidence, led by Deputy solicitor General Dileepa Pieris.

DIG Tennakoon further said that on the day the suicide attack took place he was on leave. He also asserted that the information over the attack was given to the IGP by the State Intelligence Unit which the IGP had communicated to his subordinates to take appropriate action.

The Attorney General had indicted former IGP Jayasundera before the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar on 855 charges for his failure to take appropriate action to prevent the terrorist attacks that took place on Easter Sunday 2019 despite receiving adequate intelligence reports.

IGP Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando have been charged with failing to take action to prevent a series of suicide bombings, targeting Catholic churches and five star hotels on Easter Sunday in 2019 despite receiving prior information.

The Attorney General has filed indictments under Sections 296 and 300 of the Penal Code, including attempted murder, against the two top officials. (T. Farook Thajudeen)