America’s FBI affirms, reaffirms Zahran as mastermind behind Easter Sunday attacks - Udaya Gammanpila

• Australian Federal Police affirm the same, why do conspiracy theories remain?
• Ravi, Shani should be questioned for not taking action against Zahran’s group at that time
• “The FBI and Australian Federal Police are of the same view [that Zahran was the mastermind]. That’s why we said these mastermind conspiracy theories were fabricated with ulterior political and financial motives.”

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila released his book titled In Search of a Mastermind recently, rebuffing the conspiracy theories related to the ‘so called elusive mastermind’ of the Easter Sunday attacks. He argues that Zahran Hashim who led the serial bombings on the day is the mastermind, and conspiracy theory does not hold water. Excerpts of the interview: 

QWhat prompted you to write this book actually? 

I was not a big activist with regard to the Easter Sunday attack, but several incidents, rather accidents, pushed me to write this book. Firstly, this government came to power with ‘a good governance slogan’.

On the very first day in office, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake appointed Ravi Seneviratne as the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security while police were probing him as a suspect of two crimes- two different investigations. I didn’t expect the NPP government to commit a blunder like that on the very first day. I was critical about it.

Then, through a very reliable source, I got to know that the President was suppressing two important commission reports with ulterior political motives. These are the S.I. Imam report, and J.N.N. Alvis report. After perusing these two reports, I found that the President was suppressing the first report to ensure the appointment of Ravi Seneviratne as the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security.

He was suppressing the second report because it has exposed the true situation with regard to conspiracy theories. It has cleared the names of Pillaiyan (Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan-former Chief Minister of Easter and province) and Suresh Sallay (former intelligence chief) as suspects of Easter Sunday bombings or as masterminds of Easter Sunday attacks. Although I exposed these two reports ever since the government’s popularity was at its peak, the people did not pay much attention to what I disclosed.

Instead, the entire society was attacking me for the disclosure of these two reports. I was under attack. So, I had to research the Easter Sunday attacks to find answers to the different allegations levelled against me as well as Pillaiyan and Suresh Sallay.

When Pillaiyan was arrested in April 2025, I realised that they had not only suppressed these reports, but were going to establish that their fabricated story was true. This is unfair, unreasonable, and malicious. 

I realised that they are trying to do this to please separatist forces because both Pillaiyan and Suresh Sallay played a crucial role in defeating the LTTE.

Moreover, there was another reason for the separatist forces to pursue this conspiracy theory. In order to tarnish the image of our war heroes, they fabricated a story that 40,000 innocent civilians were massacred by our military forces at the tail end of the war. Unfortunately, nobody accepted this allegation since there was no evidence whatsoever.

But if they established that Easter Sunday attacks were carried out by the military, they could justify their bogus claim of massacring 40,000 innocent Tamil civilians. The international community, with a reasonable mind, would think that if a Sinhala majority army can kill nearly 300 innocent civilians in the south, they must have killed 40,000 Tamils in the north. Once I understood the conspiracy, I wanted to fight it since it is unjust and aiming at our war heroes.

I decided to research all these reports, evidence, statements given by different witnesses. I studied in depth and the book is the ultimate result.

QDespite all forms of evidence, including from different foreign intelligence authorities, investigative authorities like the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations), Australian Federal Police and all, this conspiracy theory remains. Why is it so?

Ravi Seniviratne and the Director – the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), have intentionally or due to their negligence, have facilitated the East Sunday attacks. I have explained in detail in my book how they have contributed to support the East Sunday attack.

Until their retirement, these serious misdeeds did not emerge. After their retirement, police found this information and began an investigation. They got agitated by this. Shani Abeysekara is the best novelist and fiction writer, I have come across in my life.

I would rate him better than William Shakespeare. In my book, I have explained why I have concluded so. So, this story was fabricated by Shani Abeysekara and Ravi Seniviratne to mislead and discredit the investigation against them.

Investigations against them were conducted under the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa government. They made it so to say that Mr. Rajapaksa was the ultimate mastermind behind the East Sunday attack. 

The conspiracy theory was first convinced by a group of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs including a leader of the Samagi Jana Alliance. They convinced the Catholic Church. 

QConvincing took place through the SJB?

Yes, through the SJB. Shani and Ravi also participated in these meetings but mainly done by the SJB MPs. Recently, on April 21, the day of the 7th anniversary of the East Sunday attack, former Minister Champika Ranawaka admitted and confessed that they were deceived by Shani and Ravi. He reportedly mentioned that after studying the FBI affidavit only he realised that he was misled by these two. 

QIn the Easter Sunday attacks, 42 foreign nationals including five Americans were victims. Actually, where do you find the strongest forms of evidence that this is not a conspiracy? 

As you said, since there were foreign victims, both the FBI and Australian Federal Police volunteered to support Sri Lanka in investigations. The FBI is the number one investigative institution in the world.

Around 50 years ago, it was the British Scotland Yard. The glorious days of the British are now gone. Now the U.S. dominates the world. The FBI not only investigated the East Sunday attacks, but filed charges before the US courts against three terrorists, namely Mohamed Naufar, Millhan and Rizkhan.

In their affidavits, they have explained in detail how Zahran was inspired by the IS to carry out these attacks, how he planned the attack, procured explosives, made and tested the bombs. All are explained in detail and found in the statements given by different witnesses. True, there are terrorists who committed suicide. But hundreds of their members are still alive including Zahran’s deputy, Mohamed Naufar, Zahran’s wife, Fatima Hadia, Zahran’s military wing leader, Milhan and his very close aide Rizkhan. Therefore, we can construct the events and understand the background which led to these attacks. Everybody knows that the attack was led by Zahran, but a question remained whether there was a mastermind behind it.

An FBI affidavit filed in the United States courts has explicitly mentioned that Zahran Hashim is the mastermind of these Sunday attacks. It is crystal clear, explicit and in black and white. Still we should not believe it because it’s been said by the FBI in an affidavit to the US courts.

There are the presidential commissions of inquiry, different committees, confessions made by witnesses and suspects before courts and statements given to the CID. When I also studied all these, came to the very same conclusion. I have not only said how Zahran is the mastermind but explained in detail why I came to this conclusion.

On page 292 of my book, you find a letter sent by the US State Department to our Ambassador there. In 2022, because of this controversial mastermind debate which was taking place in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan government sought the support of the FBI again for a fresh investigation.

But, in an email, they (FBI) said, “we have done an in-depth, thorough investigation into this and found the culprits, masterminds and everybody responsible. So, there is no reason to do such investigation because it would be futile,”

The Australian Federal Police are of the same view. That’s why we said these mastermind conspiracy theories were fabricated with ulterior political and financial motives. Some wanted to leverage the Catholic vote bank. Some want to topple governments, elect governments, influence governments. There are, I’m sorry to say this to you, journalists as well as YouTubers who want to just get higher views and earn some income out of this disaster. I think, for the last seven years, an interested groups have capitalized on the blood and tears of these innocent victims in a very ugly manner. Time is right to terminate this ugly game and accept the truth and nothing but the truth!

QBut actually Cardinal Malcom Ranjith is not ready to accept your argument. He is not convinced. He says investigations are in the proper direction under the current government. Why is it?

I can only conclude that he has not read my book. How can the Cardinal come to the same conclusion without reading the book? 

I have to comment on one remark made by several spokespersons of the Catholic Church, namely Father Cyril Gamini and Father Jude Fernando.

They have repeatedly said investigations are now on the correct track. There is a well-accepted judicial norm that nobody should be their own judge. That is why, in public service, when somebody is subject to an accusation, usually the accused would be transferred to another department or sent on compulsory leave after an initial inquiry.

What is deeply problematic here is that two suspects connected to the Easter Sunday attacks—who had earlier gone before courts claiming they were about to be arrested in relation to those very attacks—are now leading the investigation into the same incident.

If somebody says that this kind of investigation is a fair investigation or correct investigation, that person must have ulterior motives. He never wants to know the truth. He must be part of a conspiracy.

QStill they say there is a deep state that tries to scuttle investigation. What is your response?

If there is a deep state or any other suspicion, you can investigate. But if you want suspects to investigate the crime, how can you find the truth? You can investigate any allegation. I have produced a lot of evidence against Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara with regard to the Sunday attack. There are other allegations as well against them.

But with regard to Easter Sunday attacks, I have produced ample evidence. If somebody says the crime should be investigated by the suspects, that person must also be a part of that crime.

QIn your book, you have highlighted certain cases about Zahran’s group which carried out the Easter Sunday attacks. Way before that attack, they have been involved in other forms of crimes, especially against Sufi Muslims who complained to the then government. No action has been taken. What is the reason for this  in your view?

Well, I can produce another conspiracy theory without evidence. Then, there would be no difference between them and me. As a witness, I have always spoken with evidence. But one thing, during that time, both Ravi and Shani were heading the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and entrusted with taking action against Zahran.

They are the ones who failed to take action. They should come out and say why. Unfortunately, they are now investigators. There is nobody to question them and ask why they failed to arrest Zahran.

That’s why I say these investigations are futile. It would not lead anywhere. They can fabricate stories for political purposes, but the truth will never surface when the ultra-suspects are conducting the investigation into the crime.

QYou have referred to incidents that took place way before in the past. At that time, these two officers were not in such offices. Why hasn’t action been taken?

My assessment is Wahhabists are now dominating our Muslim community. Since Sufi Muslims are innocent. For the last 40 years, Wahhabists have been harassing Sufi Muslims. Wahhabists are very powerful and have money and political power. They get people because they do a lot of charity work.

Poor people get attracted to Wahhabist mosques because of money received by them from mainly three countries - Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. I have explained this with evidence in the book. When they have both money and people, political blessing would follow. That’s how Wahhabists are now having the political authority and support. 

According to the findings of the Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Justice Janaki Silva, the Sri Lankan Muslim community is now dominated by Wahhabists. 

When political support is there, the police may not be brave enough to probe these crimes. But, we should have questioned why the CID failed to take action. Then they could come out saying that these politicians interfered with our investigation, influencing us not to take action.

Unfortunately, now the suspects have become investigators. As a result, we can’t expect that truth to come out. Now this is a matter pending before court.

QSome people argue that only the Courts should decide now on the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks. Why did you make a conclusion ahead of the decision by the judiciary?

I’m fully aware of the judicial concept called sub judice. When something is subject to judgment by the courts, nobody should make public comments.

These cases were filed as early as August 2021. While these cases were pending before the courts, all these conspiracy theories were fabricated by the President and his cabinet colleagues, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and other members of the church, and other politically interested groups. What I have done through my book is replying and demolishing these conspiracy theories.

If I have committed something wrong by writing this book, beforehand, a law must be applied to the President, Cabinet members, and other people who were involved in fabrication of these stories. If they did not produce these fabricated stories and conspiracy theories, there was no necessity for me to write a book. Take action against them first, then me! Unfortunately, the people who remind me that there are court cases pending before courts have failed to do the same when these very prominent people were fabricating these stories using mass media and social media.

QWhen will this conspiracy theory end at the end of the day? 

Well, unless there is a truly independent investigation, the truth will not surface and conspiracy theories will prevail, making victims more and more confused. There are two groups of victims.

Firstly, people who faced the Easter Sunday attack on April 21, 2019. The second group is our military personnel and their family members who were falsely alleged with fabricated charges. 

All books written with regard to the Easter Sunday attack had been dedicated to the victims of the attack. But my book was dedicated to the second group of victims. We have to bring justice to both these groups.