The United National Party (UNP) has called on the government to obtain all material related to the United States investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, stating that the information is currently held by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and/or the US Department of Justice.

The UNP questioned whether the present government, which has reportedly resumed investigations into the 2019 attacks, has formally requested the relevant material from US authorities. It further stated that if such a request has been made, the government should disclose the response received from the United States.

The UNP stressed that all investigative material obtained through the US probe should be made available to Sri Lankan judicial authorities.

Recalling developments following the attacks, the UNP noted that the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe requested a full US investigation and report on April 21, 2019 attacks, citing limitations in domestic investigative capacity. It said the request was made with assurances of full cooperation from Sri Lankan authorities.

The UNP added that a similar request was later made during a telephone conversation between then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and US President Donald Trump.

According to a statement issued by the UNP, the FBI conducted an extensive investigation in collaboration with Sri Lankan agencies including the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Military Intelligence, and the State Intelligence Service, and subsequently submitted a report to the Sri Lankan government.

The UNP also referred to a 71-page affidavit filed on November 12, 2020, by FBI Special Agent Merrilee R. Godwin in the US District Court for the Central District of California, as well as a criminal case filed on December 11, 2020, in the US District Court in Los Angeles. It noted that several suspects named in the case were already in Sri Lankan custody at the time.

The UNP therefore reiterated its position that the US investigative material remains with the FBI and the Department of Justice, and urged the government to clarify whether it has sought access to it and to disclose the outcome if such a request has been made.