Security Council was kept informed of Zahran Hashim, fmr SIS chief tells PCoI

Former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Nilantha Jayawardena has told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing Easter attacks that the National Security Council was kept informed of all threats posed by Zahran Hashim but no action was taken to arrest the ringleader of the carnage.

Senior DIG Jayawardena was the first person to receive foreign intelligence warnings of impending attacks by Islamic extremists in the country.

When the testimony hearing commenced, due to the objections raised by the witness’s legal counsels, citing national security risks, the members of the media were not allowed to cover the entire proceedings.

However, media personnel were allowed back in the chamber to cover the parts of the testimony, approximately 5 hours after the witness began testifying.

Continuing his testimony, Senior DIG Jayawardena told the Commission that, during his tenure as the Chief of the SIS, the intelligence officials were forced to tread the middle path in order to deal with coalition government.

He noted that prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, he had enjoyed cordial relations with all high-ranking state officials.

However, when asked about his relationship with the then-Director of the Military Intelligence Bord Chula Kodituwakku, the witness stated that although his relationship with the predecessors were cordial, this specific relationship could be described as less than ideal.

When asked to describe his ties with the former Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) chief Nalaka De Silva, the witness requested to answer the question without the presence of media personnel.

Continuing his statement, the Senior DIG said, after the clash at the Aliyar Junction on the 10th of March 2017, he had informed the Security Council that Zahran Hashim had gone beyond being a mere dissemination of Islamic extremist ideology.

Further, the witness also revealed, he had warned the Security Council that the failure to arrest Zahran Hashim could lead to disastrous consequences.

“I also informed the council that, vandalism of Buddha Statues in Mawanella on the 26th of September 2018 was not an isolated incident but an act of terrorism,” the witness continued.

The Security Council was informed both verbally and in writing of Zahran Hashim’s links to the Mawanella and Wanathawilluwa incidents, the witness stressed.

The panel then asked the witness if he had been aware of Zahran Hashim spreading extremist ideologies in various parts of the country. To this, Senior DIG Jayawardena responded, “I was aware of this, and I had informed all responsible parties of Zahran Hashim hiding out in Kekunugolla area at the time.”