Sirisena against parliamentary probe into Easter attacks

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has protested a parliamentary investigation into security lapses leading to the Easter suicide bombings which killed over 250 people and injured hundreds, the media reported on Saturday.

Sirisena summoned an emergency Cabinet meeting on Friday evening and registered his protest over the activities of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the April 21 attacks. He asked that the PSC activities be terminated accordingly, the Daily Mirror reported.

Raising concerns over the summoning of intelligence officers and the criminal investigation officers by the PSC, Sirisena told the Cabinet that the proceedings would affect the Supreme Court proceedings regarding five cases in connection with the bombings.

The Cabinet meeting took place a day after Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando testified before the committee making allegations about the "dereliction of duty on the part of the President in this regard", the report said.

The President said he was informed by the Attorney General that the PSC proceedings will hamper the cases related to the attacks. Sirisena vowed not to send any of his officers to testify before the parliamentary committee.

The PSC on the Easter Sunday attacks had been meeting over the past few days, according to Colombo Gazette. The blasts targeted three luxury hotels, three churches and two other locations and were claimed by the Islamic State.

The President said that he had sent the concerns raised by the Attorney General to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to inform the Parliament.

--IANS

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