The Sri Lankan government has diminished the threat posed by radical Islamists by 99 percent, Defence Secretary, General (retd) Shantha Kottegoda said.
Testifying at the Parliament Select Committee probing the April 21 Easter Sunday terror attacks, he said sharing of intelligence information needs to be strengthened, as lapses and lack of a systematic coordination may have led to a breakdown in sharing of information.
“Since 2014, there had been information about the banned extremist outfit National Thawheed Jamaath, but I don’t know how that information was acted upon,” the Defence Secretary said testifying before a six-member committee comprising of JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa, Prof. Ashu Marasinghe, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Minister Ravi Karunanayake, Minister Rauff Hakeem and chair Dr. Jayampathy Wickremaratne in Parliament yesterday. This is the first time in parliamentary history that media has been granted access to record and witness a Parliament Select Committee session. Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and TNA MP M.A.Sumanthiran were not present as they were overseas.
The present Defence Secretary who took oath prior to his testimony said that although the threats posed by extremists have diminished, it cannot be thwarted in a month or two. “I believe it requires foresight, coordinated approach and long term objective inclusive of border controls and use of sophisticated technology,” he said adding there needs to be greater coordination between the relevant ministries and departments.
Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka while cross-examining Kottegoda questioned the work that was entrusted on former Chief of the Terrorist Investigation Division DIG Nalaka de Silva who investigated the group led by Zahran.The Defence Secretary responded by saying that he was not privy to details and the exact measures that was taken by the TID chief in that respect.
“There is word that investigations came to a halt with the arrest of the TID chief, can you look into it and report back to the committee,” Minister Ravi Karunanayke quizzed the Defence Secretary. Kottegoda did not dodge any questions from the bench and said he was not in the know of what transpired at Security Council meetings prior to the attacks as he only assumed duties on April 29.
National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis testifying before the committee revealed that the last Security Council meeting prior to the April attacks was held on February 19, 2019.
“I first got to know of the imminent attacks by April 8, as it was a busy day for Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando who was expecting to host the Indian Defence Secretary that day, I could not meet him in the morning. But I verbally told him that morning and met him later at 3pm, where I informed him of the report,” he said. “The Defence Secretary asked me to report it to the Inspector General of Police, which I did promptly while labelling the letter as eyes only which requires his immediate and urgent action.” He added that he was also informed that the State Intelligence Service was aware and in receipt of the letter.
(Daily News)