Rev. Father Cyril Gamini Fernando has arrived at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) premises for the second consecutive day this morning (Nov. 16) to record a statement in connection with a complaint filed by the country’s intelligence chief.

He provided a statement for nearly eight hours yesterday. 

On October 25, the Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Major General Suresh Sallay had filed a complaint with the CID pertaining to the allegations made by Fr. Gamini and several other individuals during an online forum held on October 23 to brief Sri Lankan community living overseas on the Easter Sunday attacks. 

The complaint referred to comments made by Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini, who is a member of the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims, during the online forum alleging that the country’s intelligence units had provided financial and other assistance to Zahran Hashim, the leader of the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) who was behind the suicide bombings.

The complaint states that it was also alleged, during the webinar, that the then-Brigadier Suresh Sallay had played an active role in nurturing Zahran Hashim and his followers.

Major General Sallay had strongly denied the allegations leveled by Father Cyril Gamini and others during the webinar while also charging that the allegations were “made with the intention of discrediting him” and are completely false.

Fr. Cyril Gamini, who was summoned by the CID the following day to record a statement in connection with the complaint filed by the SIS chief, had requested for more time to prepare.

Meanwhile Fr. Cyril Gamini had also filed a fundamental rights (FR) petition with the Supreme Court on November 02, seeking an injunction order preventing him from being arrested by the police.

However, when the petition was later taken up the CID had informed the Supreme Court through the Attorney General’s Department that Rev. Father Cyril Gamini Fernando will not be arrested at this moment.