Top Army intelligence officer explains sorry state of handling national security during previous regime

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Little attention had been paid to extremism by those in charge of security prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, a senior Army intelligence officer, on Saturday night, told the PCoI investigating the 21 April 2019 terrorist attacks. The officer wished to remain anonymous.

The officer said that security, too, had been neglected during the previous administration.

The officer, previously attached to the office of Chief of National Security (CNI,) had been summoned to give evidence about his tenure there.

The Attorney General’s Department representative leading evidence brought to the witness’ attention a document sent by the State Intelligence Service (SIS) on 22 July 2017 to the then Defence Secretary.

The document consisted of 94 names of those involved in extremism. The then Defence Secretary had sent that document to then CNI Sisira Mendis.

The witness said the persons named in the document such as Mohommad Caseem Mohommad Zahran, Mohommad Caseem Mohommad Rilwan, Mohommad Caseem Mohommad Zainee and Abdul Latheef Jameel Mohommad had been involved in the Easter Sunday attacks and the subsequent incident at Sainthamaruthu on 26 April 2019.

“I can’t say if CNI Mendis paid attention to this. If he had issued an instruction about the document, it should be on top of the document as a note. I can’t see such a note here.’

The Attorney General’s Department representative: “Former CNI Mendis told the PCoI that a lot of similar documents had come to him and that there were officials at the CNI office who knew what to do. He said that’s the reason he had not given any specific instructions.”

The witness smiled but didn’t comment.

The AG’s Department representative also showed the officer another document.

She said: “This document mentions an organisation and that the son of a former deputy minister was involved in the organisation. Phone records of this person show that he was in contact with MPs, senior policemen and various individuals in the UAE. What did the CNI do about this?”

Army intelligence officer: “I will reveal that in camera.”

Chairman of the PCoI: “Did the Easter Sunday attacks happen because the previous government paid attention to other matters, ignoring national security?”

Army intelligence officer: “I can say that little attention was paid to extremism. Then CNI hardly spoke to the then Defence Secretary about this. I personally feel that not enough attention was paid to national security.”