The members of the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) to probe the Easter Sunday terror attacks has scheduled a meeting with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya today to discuss the problems that have cropped up in proceeding with the probe.
Committee member and JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told the Daily News that the no show of several persons summoned to the PSC and President Maithripala Sirisena’s letter to the Speaker asking not to summon officers in active service to the PSC would be raised during the meeting.
He pointed out that former Public Administration, Management and Law and Order Ministry Secretary Padmasiri Jayamanne and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) N.K. Ilangakoon did not appear before the PSC despite summons.
“Both of them sit in the Presidential Committee to probe the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Their absence could be due to this reason, but we summoned them not because they were sitting in that committee, but because they, in their official capacity, were relevant to our investigations. Even the CID and the TID Directors were also absent.
These issues and the future course of action will be discussed with the Speaker,” he said.
He said the Speaker would be briefed on the PSC’s progress so far. He said he was of the opinion that President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should also be summoned before the PSC.
“However, the Committee will have to take a collective decision on summoning them,” he added.
The PSC has scheduled its next sitting at 2pm today. The OIC of Kattankudy Police and the Chairman of Sufi Organisation have been summoned to testify today.
The PSC headed by Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri include Ministers Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Rauff Hakeem and Ravi Karunanayake, MPs Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Prof. Ashu Marasinghe, Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Dr.Nalinda Jaytissa and M.A.Sumanthiran.
(Daily News)