Suspects already in custody for Easter attacks should be prosecuted first: Sirisena

• Says action should be taken against those in custody instead of him and those in security establishment
• Warns prosecuting intelligence officers could discourage them from carrying out their duties in future
• Reiterates he had no prior warning of attacks

Former President and Polonnaruwa District MP Maithripala Sirisena yesterday told Parliament that legal action should be taken against those suspects being held in connection with the Easter Sunday terror attacks before taking action against him and those in the security establishment as recommended by the Presidential Commission which probed the attacks.

Speaking on the third day of the adjournment debate on the report on the Presidential Commission, Sirisena said that that the real perpetrators of the attacks have been ignored and they are not 

being prosecuted.

He also said that taking action against those in the intelligence services and others in the security establishment could discourage those in charge from carrying out their duties in the future.

In a lengthy speech to the House, the former President said he had no prior warning of the attacks, contradicting the findings of the Presidential Commission, which said he had been informed of an imminent threat of terrorist attacks days before they took place.

“I would have warned Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and imposed islandwide curfew if I were informed about the attacks beforehand. I would not have ignored prior warnings of dreaded terrorist attacks,” he said.

Sirisena said he was undergoing medical treatment in Singapore when the attacks took place in Sri Lanka.

“No one was allowed to come close to me when I was undergoing treatment. I conferred with the then Prime Minister and the defence units from time to time and took necessary action,” he said.

The former President said that from 2016, he had been directing the Police and defence forces to be vigilant of Islamic terror attacks as the Islamic State was staging attacks in various parts of the world. “I also questioned the Police as to why Zahran was not taken into custody. It is not the President’s job to arrest him,” he said.

Referring to the report of the Commission appointed by former US President George Bush after the 9/11 attacks, which said no action should be taken on political leadership and the intelligence forces despite lapses on their part to prevent the attacks despite prior warnings, he said this should be followed by Sri Lanka as well.