DIG Jayawardena says a separate probe has to be carried out regarding Dehiwala suicide bomber

One of the Thowheed Jamaat tagets: Katuwapitiya Church

By Rathindra Kuruwita

A separate investigation had to be carried out as regards Abdul Latheef Mohamed Jameel, who blew himself up at Tropical Inn, Dehiwala after failing to detonate at his first target, Taj Samudra hotel, Colombo, former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena, yesterday, told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.

Jayawardena said that Colombo had been locked down after the coordinated attacks targeting luxury hotels and churches around 8.45 am on April 21, 2019. Jameel having failed to carry out the attack on Taj Samudra hotel had taken a taxi and gone to Tropical Inn, Dehiwala.

Jayawardena said that there was a doubt as to whether Jameel had blown himself up or if the bomb had exploded while he was examining it.

“There are questions about the incidents and they have to be investigated separatedly. I will reveal certain facts with regard to the whole attack in camera,” Jayawardena told the Commission.

He said that on April 21 morning he had received a message from one of his informants saying that one of the targets was a Methodist Church in Colombo and the suicide attacks were likely to be carried out between 6  and 10 am. 

After receiving the above message he contacted SDIG – Western Province, Nandana Munasinghe and asked whether he had deployed officers around Colombo, as the informant had already confirmed that the attacks were imminent.

“I asked him to check Maradana, Panchikawatta and Kochchikade areas in Colombo. I thought those areas were vulnerable. SDIG Munasinghe said he had already deployed officers on duty to those areas,” he said.

“By sharing all the intelligence received from April 04, 2019 onwards from foreign counterparts and what the SIS found, we thought we could save at least one life,” Jayawardena said.