SIS said security stable despite intelligence warning – Counsel

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Former Director of State Intelligence Service (SIS) SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena, in his report to the weekly intelligence review meeting on April 9, 2019, said that country’s security remained stable, although he had received foreign intelligence of a possible terrorist attack on April 04, yesterday at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks was informed yesterday.

Shanaka Ranasinghe PC, who appeared for former Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) Sisira Mendis, questioned the accuracy of Jayawardena’s report.

.In response, SDIG Jayawardena said in his report to the weekly intelligence review meeting, the SIS had mentioned that there was a suspected group and that a report should be sent to former IGP Pujith Jayasundara immediately.

“We cannot spoon-feed the higher political and security officials. They have to conduct investigation into certain matters and find information,” Jayawardena said.

Ranasinghe PC told the witness that all the reports submitted by the SIS on Zharan and his extremist practices, were inconclusive.

“You didn’t at least tell that the National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) was led by Zahran Hashim and reports were not clear about the impending threat,” Ranasinghe PC told the witness.

Jayawardena said that the SIS had submitted 347 reports on Zahran and his extremist activities but there had been no feedback from the security agencies.