Around 10,000 people including 8,000 police officers of the Western Province had been alerted by April 11, 2019 about National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) Leader Zahran Hashim and foreign intelligence received on April 4, 2019 regarding the possible terror attack on Easter Sunday, former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena yesterday informed the PCoI probing Easter Sunday attacks.
He was responding to a question raised by Shamil Perera PC who appeared for Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, during the cross-examination.
However, after the former SIS Director's statement, the Commissioner questioned the witness whether he was making such controversial statements before the Commission, with responsibility.
Commissioner: "You made a very serious statement that by April 11, 2019, about 10,000 people knew about Zahran and the foreign intelligence. Did you say it responsibly?"
Jayawardena: Yes Sir. I'm making this statement based on the former IGP's testimony before this Commission. Hesaid he had passed intelligence to four ranges at the Western Province Police division. There are about 8,000 Police officers in the Western Province. Next, the intelligence had been referred to the security of 225 members of Parliament. Zaharan must have known too. When you look at this, not 10,000 but about 15,000 individuals in the country knew this.
The former SIS Director said that by April 20, 2019, Embassies in the country also knew about the foreign intelligence.
"I will take responsibility for the deaths of the people of this country only until April 7, 2019 as until that time the intelligence was with me, but after that I passed it to the relevant authorities," Jayawardena said.
Jayawardena further added that foreign intelligence agencies also knew about NTJ and its leader Zahran Hashim by the briefings provided by the SIS.
"We had been informing about Zahran since 2016 but these official did not want to take action against him," the witness said.
Shamil Perera PC: "You said on several occasions that you would not take responsibility for this attack, right?"
Jayawardena: "This Commission determines my responsibility. I know the work I did. I will not point a finger at anyone. The evidence, I have given these days are true. The Commission will decide whether I'm going to jail or not."
He further said that there was an attitude change in the system after the April 21, 2019 attack and that was the turning point.
(Daily Mirror)