The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has urged the President to cleanse society of all elements that encouraged, aided and abetted anti-democratic and politically motivated acts of terrorism.
He made the request while addressing the main memorial service held at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade today, marking the sixth anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that had been appointed by then President Maithripala Sirisena to investigate the 2019 Easter attacks had failed to find the broader forces involved in the attacks.
He further said it was evident that there were attempts at sabotage to derail the investigations after the 2019 Presidential Election.
“I urged you to remain patient, not to take revenge and not let feelings take charge, by making the promise that the perpetrators will be brought to justice somehow. I made the promise because I understood that there were a more powerful group behind the seven terrorists who carried out these attacks,” he said.
The Archbishop pointed out that the Presidential Commission report revealed two recommendations, which were;
- Investigate Easter attacks mastermind Zaharan Hashim’s involvement in extremism
- The inaction of the political leaders and the intelligence chiefs of the time, despite prior intel from India, which needed to be penalized.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said, however, that the commission failed to identify the broader forces at work, those who were involved in the operations, and who assisted/aided this, and had also failed to issue recommendations to address these factors.
He said the commission had also not paid attention to some other important factors, maybe because it thought that the investigation into these mysteries and issues would not receive the government’s endorsement.
The Archbishop further outlined the following factors, which the commission had failed to probe;
- What happened to the wife of the Katuwapitiya bomber, Sarah Jasmin?
- Who is ‘Sonic Sonic’?
- What is his link to Matale Podi Zaharan, and the reasons for involving the ISIS?
- The incident of a senior Police officer preventing the inspection of a truck near Gelanigama on the Southern expressway.
- The actions of a senior Police officer who attempted to conceal details regarding the murders of two Police Constables in Vavunathivu.
- Investigating the links between the 7th bomber and links to state intelligence.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said the commission was not given the legal powers to investigate these matters, and the time was also insufficient, adding that, however, it was evident that they had tried their best under the circumstances.
The Archbishop revealed that, however, there was evidence of sabotage attempts to derail investigations after the 2019 Presidential Election, despite those elected promising to investigate the Easter attacks. (Newswire)