Communication lapses key for Easter Sunday attacks says ex-IGP

Friday, 26 July 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former IGP Illangakoon says extremism was on intelligence radar after war
Says IGP Jayasundara should have informed his line Minister
Believes SL lacks operational intelligence on Islamic extremism

Communication issues between different intelligence branches and law enforcement agencies was a key failure that helped the Easter Sunday attackers succeed, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) N.K Illangakoon held yesterday, testifying before the Parliament Select Committee (PSC).

Reminding of the period in which successive Governments fought the LTTE, Illangakoon said: “According to my knowledge, prior intelligence warning of a possible terror attack was the first of that kind of information security forces received after the war with the LTTE. Taking this alert seriously, security could have been tightened to prevent the attack, without keeping it only to a few officials.”

“The practice I know is that if we receive such an intelligence report, we should follow some specific actions. But in this case, nothing like that had taken place. The authorities have failed. If I was the IGP, I would have informed all senior Police officers and Senior DIGs in all Provinces. It seems that there had not been any such communication,” he added.

Highlighting the duties of the Police chief, Illangakoon held that IGP should have informed the Secretary to the Ministry, which the Police Department comes under.

“IGP should have informed his Minister. During my tenure in the office of IGP, I instructed the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena and Director of Police Special Branch (Military Arm of the Police) about the issue. I appointed a Committee to gather information about the extremist groups. We identified some hard-core groups. One of such groups which acted is a single family,” he added.

According to Illangakoon, Sri Lanka lacks operational intelligence on Islamic extremism.

“Zahran’s name came to the limelight in 2012. They only carried out online propaganda. We did not have information about a possible attack they were planning at that time. So, we collected information until we got a chance to act against them.”

(AH)