Former SIS Chief Suresh Sallay files writ petition challenging arrest and detention

The former Head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay has filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal through his lawyers, challenging his arrest and detention by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Prevention of Terrorism (PTI) Act.

The Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasuriya, the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Shani Abeysekara, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne and the Attorney General, among others have been named respondents in the petition, said Ada Derana reporter.
 
In connection with ongoing investigations into the 2029 Easter Sunday attacks, Major General Suresh Sallay was arrested by the CID on February 25.
 
He is currently being held under a 90-day detention order in the custody of the CID.
 
Challenging this arrest and detention for questioning, former SIS Chief Sallay has filed the writ petition through his lawyers.
 
In the petition filed through Attorney-at-Law Amila Kumara, the former SIS Chief states that he served at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Malaysia from 2016 to 2018.
 
He further states that from January 7, 2019, to November 29 of the same year, he participated in a defense training program in India. He points out that he was not in Sri Lanka at the time of the Easter attacks.
 
Accordingly, he claims that his arrest and detention by the CID under the Prevention of Terrorism Act are unlawful.
 
He also notes that following the 2029 Easter Sunday attacks, investigations were conducted by the Vijith Malalgoda Committee, the Supreme Court Justice Janak de Silva Commission, the High Court Judge Jayaki de Alwis Committee, and a Parliamentary Select Committee, as well as by several foreign investigative agencies.

He states that all these investigation reports revealed that the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks were carried out by the National Thowheeth Jama’ath organisation, led by Zahran Hashim, with the support of the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group.
 
Major General Suresh Sallay emphasizes that none of these reports contained any information suggesting that he aided, abetted, or supported the attacks.
 
Accordingly, he points out that none of the investigation reports made any recommendations against him.
 
He further states that although CID officers arrested and detained him on February 25, there is no reasonable evidence under the Prevention of Terrorism Act to justify such arrest or detention.
 
Through his petition, he has requested the Court of Appeal to call for and examine the statements given by him and other witnesses to the CID in relation to the investigation.
 
He has also requested an order declaring invalid the CID’s decision to name him as the third suspect in the “B report” filed before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court in connection with this incident.
 
Accordingly, the former Head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, has filed this writ petition before the Court of Appeal through his lawyers, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.