Dissanayake promises to 'uncover truth' behind 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's newly-elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has promised to thoroughly investigate the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks carried out by the ISIS-backed suicide bombers that killed 270 people, including 45 foreign nationals and injured over 500.

Dissanayake paid a visit to the Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith following his election victory and assured him of taking steps "towards uncovering the truth" regarding the attacks that rocked hotels and churches in the country, the President's Media Division (PMD) revealed on Tuesday.

In June, then Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe had appointed a Committee of Inquiry (CoI) to investigate the actions taken by Lankan intelligence services on the prior information received from their Indian counterparts regarding the Easter Sunday bombings.

Wicremesinghe's decision followed the findings of the Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry, dated January 31, 2021, which highlighted that Indian Intelligence agencies and other sources had provided advance warnings about the impending attacks.

"The committee's mandate includes examining whether adequate actions and measures were taken by the by the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Chief of National Intelligence (CNI), and other relevant authorities based on the prior intelligence and evaluating the sufficiency of these measures," the PMD had said in a statement on June 12, this year.

The Lankan President had also given full powers to the committee headed by retired High Court judge A.N.J. De Alwis to question relevant officials and examine important documents to thoroughly investigate these matters.

A compact disk containing the Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry on the 2019 bomb attacks was provided to the committee, with a Senior Assistant Secretary to the President serving as the Secretary to the Committee of Inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Colombo acknowledged that the people have entrusted the new President with the significant responsibility of bringing about the necessary changes in the country, a task that may prove to be challenging.

The Cardinal also assured the Lankan President of his "full support and blessings" in this endeavour and urged him to prioritise the needs of the poor in his efforts.

On Tuesday, Dissanayake visited the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters to receive their blessings, following his visit to pay homage at the 'Dalada Maligawa' the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy.