Lanka: Ex-spy chief directed Easter attacks

The 2019 Easter Sunday bombings killed 279 people, including 11 Indians

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament on Wednesday probes had revealed former intelligence chief Major General Suresh Sallay “conspired with and strategically directed” Islamic extremists behind the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people, including 11 Indians.

Wijepala said Sallay, arrested in February on allegations of aiding and abetting the attacks, had identified a Catholic church as a target and met Muslim men three weeks before the bombings to gather details about locations and congregations.

The coordinated attacks targeted three luxury hotels in Colombo, two Roman Catholic churches and an evangelical Protestant church.

Sallay has denied the allegations through his lawyer. The minister said he was admitted to hospital after launching a hunger strike in detention.

Investigators have obtained court orders preventing for­mer President Gotabaya Raja­paksa from going abroad. Rajapaksa, who won the 2019 presidential poll after pledging to curb Islamist extremi­sm, may be quizzed.

—Agencies