CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekara, CID Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne, TID Director Warna Jayasundera and former TID Director DIG Nalaka de Silva have been summoned before the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday terror attacks to testify today.
The Committee has postponed the summoning of former IGP Pujith Jayasundera and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando to a future date. The committee has decided to interrogate the senior officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) prior to summoning the former IGP and the former Defence Secretary.
Parliament sources said live telecast of proceedings of the committee through Peo TV and the Parliament Official Website is most likely to be stopped today.
However, he said a final decision in that regard would have to be made by the committee.
Parliament Assistant Secretary General Tikiri Jayathilake said that routine Parliament sittings would be given priority today, and that Parliament currently lacks facilities to give simultaneous live telecast to Parliament sittings and Committee sittings.
However, a committee member who spoke to the Daily News on condition of anonymity said that the committee believes in transparency while taking precautions that sensitive security information do not go out.
“The real concerns of those who want to stop live telecast have nothing to do with the national security. They are simply scared that their shortcomings and negligence will be known by the people in the country,” he said.
The PSC commenced sittings on May 29 and the media was allowed in for first time in Sri Lankan Parliamentary history to witness the session. Defence Secretary, General (Retd) Shantha Kottegoda and National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis appeared on the first hearing.
However, the live telecast was abruptly stopped when the National Intelligence Chief was testifying before the committee.
It was later said the stoppage of the live telecast was to avoid leaking of sensitive security information.
(Daily News)