Former Sri Lankan Intelligence Chief Arrested in Connection with 2019 Attacks

Former Sri Lankan Intelligence Chief Arrested in Connection with Easter Sunday Attacks

A former intelligence chief in Sri Lanka, Suresh Sallay, was taken into custody on Wednesday in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed nearly 300 people. According to police, Sallay was arrested for conspiracy and aiding and abetting the attacks.

Sallay, who served as State Intelligence Service (SIS) chief from 2019 until his dismissal in 2024, had been accused of involvement in the coordinated suicide bombings. The bombings targeted Easter congregations at three churches and guests at three luxury hotels during breakfast, resulting in over 500 injuries and 45 deaths among foreign nationals.

The investigation into the attacks has implicated Sallay, who was promoted to head the SIS following the election of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019. British broadcaster Channel 4 reported in 2023 that Sallay had met with individuals linked to the bombers and was accused of permitting the attack to proceed.

Sallay’s dismissal followed the election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as president, who promised prosecutions for those behind the attack. Other investigations have faulted authorities for failing to act on warnings from an Indian intelligence agency that an attack was imminent.

In 2023, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ordered several senior officials, including former President Maithripala Sirisena and the police chief, to pay compensation to relatives of victims. The United Nations has requested Sri Lanka to publish parts of previous inquiries into the bombings that were withheld from the public.

Source: Al Jazeera