Gammanpila claims Police could not find relevant information in records

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

Former Member of Parliament Udaya Gammanpila appeared before the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) yesterday to provide a statement regarding comments he made during the seventh anniversary commemoration of the Easter Sunday attacks.   

Speaking to the media before entering the TID premises, Gammanpila claimed that the summons was part of an attempt to intimidate and silence him. He stated that he now spends much of his time giving statements to the police due to repeated summonses from authorities.   

The investigation relates to remarks made by Gammanpila on April 21 after meeting the Mahanayake Theros of the Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters. During his statement to the media at the time, he alleged that more than 300 suicide bombers linked to extremist activities were still living within society. He also warned that if such individuals were not identified and rehabilitated, there could be a threat to the Dalada Perahera in Kandy.   

Gammanpila said  the information he referred to was not based on personal intelligence but originated from statements allegedly given by suspects already in police custody in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks. Addressing reporters yesterday, he said that police investigators had been unable to locate the relevant information within their own records.   

“The police have been unable to find where this information exists within their own documents, so I am here to help them locate it,” he said.