CNI office failed to inform its own boss of Easter attacks

Former Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) Sisira Mendis had heard of the Easter Sunday attacks from one of his relatives the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks was informed yesterday

Mendis also said that no one from the CNI Office had called him to inform of the attacks.

The witness added that he had only received a report dated the April 07, 2019 sent by former SIS Director SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena on April 08. April 07 was a Sunday and Mendis usually did not visit the CNI office during weekends.

“The CNI office is open on weekends but we are closed at night,” he said.

Madhu Jayathilake, the counsel representing SDIG Jayawardena told Mendis that SIS works 24 hours a day on all days of the year. “That’s why they sent this important report on a Sunday,” she said.

Mendis said that if the SIS had considered the report so important, it could have sent it to his residence, which was not that far away.