Easter blasts: Sri Lanka arrests ex-police chief, former defence secretary

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s former defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando and suspended police chief Pujith Jayasundera were arrested on Tuesday, a day after the attorney general instructed the authorities to charge them for their failure to prevent the Easter terror attacks that claimed 258 lives.

Jayasundera and Fernando were suspended by President Maithripala Sirisena for their alleged inaction on the intelligence shared by India, which warned of an impending attack by Islamic militants, and thereby, failing to prevent the serial blasts on April 21.

Police Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said a group of CID officials arrested Fernando, who was earlier admitted to a hospital.
He was issued notice on Tuesday to appear before the CID to record a statement over the Easter Sunday attacks. However, he fell ill and was admitted to the Police Hospital. The CID officers visited the hospital and questioned him and later arrested him, the Colombo Gazette reported.

In a letter to acting police chief Chandana Wickremaratne, Attorney General Dappula de Livera on Monday said the duo should be tried for “grave crimes against humanity” for their failure to prevent the bombings.

De Livera also slammed Wickremeratne for not taking any action against the two as directed earlier on June 27.Both Jayasundera and Fernando have testified before an ongoing parliamentary probe panel on the attacks. Both of them claimed that there was discounting of the seriousness of the threat at the very highest level.