Everyone kept mum on decisions taken by ex-president at NSC, says Pujith

By Rathindra Kuruwita

No one, including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, disagreed with decisions taken by President Maithripala Sirisena at the National Security Council (NSC) meetings, under the previous government, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara on Wednesday (30) told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.

Jayasundara said that all those present at the NSC thought it was not good to criticise the decisions taken by the President.

The Commissioners asked the witness whether he had realised the danger posed by Zahran Hashim and his associates. Jayasundara said he had been well aware about the developments, but the political situation at that time, the priorities of the former government and the restrictions imposed on him prevented him from taking action against extremism.

Jayasundera added that the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) and the CID had conducted probes into Islamic extremism covertly as he had been asked by former President Maithripala Sirisena not to carry out open investigations.