Ali Sabry slams Suresh Sallay’s arrest as ‘theatrics designed to mislead or divide’

Former Justice Minister Ali Sabry says that undermining officers who once safeguarded the country may offer temporary political advantage, but it weakens morale within the armed forces and sends a troubling signal to those tasked with protecting the nation.

Commenting on today’s arrest of former head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, he said that the Easter Sunday tragedy deserves a professional, evidence based inquiry focused on justice for victims and national security and that instead, what is being witnessed is the transformation of a complex investigation into a “public spectacle”.

“A deeply troubling day for the Sri Lanka Army and its Intelligence Corps,” he said, adding that the arrest of the former state intelligence chief raises serious concerns about the direction in which the country’s national discourse is heading.

He credited Major General (Retd) Suresh Sallay as an officer widely associated with the dismantling of the LTTE’s intelligence network, intelligence operations that led to the targeting of senior leadership including Tamilchelvan, and efforts connected to the apprehension of now-defunct terrorist group’s arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan, also known as ‘KP’.

The former Minister for Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms stressed that these were officers who once placed their lives on the line to protect the nation during its most dangerous years. 

“Today, many feel that those same individuals are being drawn into a political battlefield shaped less by evidence and more by competing narratives,” he said in a post on ‘X’. 

Sabry emphasized that accountability under the law is essential in any democracy, but it must be pursued with fairness, restraint, and respect for institutional integrity.

“The Easter Sunday tragedy deserved a professional, evidence based inquiry focused on justice for victims and national security. Instead, what we increasingly witness is the transformation of a complex investigation into a public spectacle.” 

He noted that international cooperation, including the extensive involvement of the FBI and U.S. authorities, has already taken place with investigations, prosecutions, and assistance provided. 

“When even external partners indicate that further probes may not yield meaningful new outcomes, continuing to weaponise the issue for partisan gain risks damaging Sri Lanka’s credibility and long-term security interests,” Sabry warned.

National security institutions cannot become collateral damage in political contests, he asserted. “Undermining officers who once safeguarded the country may offer temporary political advantage, but it weakens morale within the armed forces and sends a troubling signal to those tasked with protecting the nation.”

The former Justice Minister added that Sri Lanka must pursue truth and justice, but through law, evidence, and responsible leadership, “not through theatrics designed to mislead or divide.” 

“History will judge not only those who served in difficult times, but also those who chose to politicise matters that demanded unity and maturity,” he said.