The Catholic Church has strongly denied social media claims suggesting that Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith had prior knowledge of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, calling the allegations completely false and baseless.

In a statement issued to media, the Media Spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo, Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando said the claims currently circulating online originated from remarks made by former Member of Parliament Harin Fernando before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter attacks in 2020.

The statement noted that those allegations were previously refuted in a media release issued on September 19, 2020, by three auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of Colombo.

It further emphasized that recent social media posts repeating the claim that the Cardinal had prior knowledge of the attacks have no factual basis and are entirely misleading.

The Church also dismissed related assertions that security agencies had prior information about the attacks which was communicated to the Cardinal, describing such suggestions as false.

According to the statement, the circulation of such claims appears aimed at undermining ongoing efforts to uncover the truth behind the Easter Sunday attacks and obstruct investigations.

The Catholic Church has urged the general public to refrain from sharing or believing unverified information circulating on social media.