97 intel. reports submitted to IGP & ex-Defence Secretary since 2016 - BASL

The State Intelligence Service has submitted 97 intelligence reports on National Thowheed Jama’ath leader Zahran Hashim to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the former Defence Secretary, from 2016 to April 21 this year, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) told the Supreme Court.

President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayewardene stated this speaking on behalf of the BASL today (03).

The twelve Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara for allegedly failing to prevent the Easter Sunday terror attacks and thereby violating fundamental human rights were taken up before a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court chaired by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.

The rest of the judge bench consists of Supreme Court Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayewardene, Prasanna Jayewardene, L.T.B. Dehideniya and Murdu Fernando.

Accordingly, President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayewardene told the judge bench that Senior DIG Nilantha Jayewardene, in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, had revealed that the State Intelligence Service had submitted 97 reports on the ringleader of Easter Sunday terror attacks from 2016 up until the day coordinated terror attacks took place on Easter Sunday this year.

The petitions were filed by 12 parties including the Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL), a businessman engaged in the tourism sector named Janak Sri Vidanage and Saman Nandana Sirimanne, a father who had lost his son and daughter in the attack on April 21st.

The petitioners accuse that the IGP and the former Defense Secretary of infringing the fundamental rights of the people by failing to prevent the terror attacks on churches and hotels even when intelligence information had forewarned.