CID reveals shocking new details on Easter Attacks

Former State Intelligence Service (SIS) chief and retired Major General Suresh Sallay, who is being detained under detention orders issued under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), was produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court again today (May 20).

The case related to the Easter Sunday terror attacks was taken up before Magistrate Pasan Amarasena.

Suresh Sallay was arrested in Peliyagoda on February 25, 2026, on charges of aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday terror attacks carried out on April 21, 2019 which killed 269 people with 8 suicide bombers.

At the hearing, Suresh Sallay, who remains in custody, was produced before court by officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) amid tight security, while the two other suspects currently in remand custody were produced before court via Zoom.

Presenting the progress of the investigations to court, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris submitted a lengthy 14-page report and stated:

“Your Honour, today we are presenting a lengthy 14-page report. This report marks a major turning point. A statement has been recorded in France from Hanzeer Azad Maulana, the individual who made revelations to Channel 4 regarding the Easter Sunday attacks. A team of CID officers, including CID Director Shani Abeysekara, travelled to France and recorded the statement at the official residence of the Sri Lankan Ambassador there. In his statement, he has provided extensive details about the Easter attacks. According to his statement, it is clear that Suresh Sallay acted as the mastermind behind these attacks. It was done to fulfill a political objective.”

Further submissions by the Additional Solicitor General stated:

“Your Honour, following a clash at Aliyar Junction in 2017, Seyni Moulavi, a member of Zaharan Hashim’s group, was remanded in custody. Seyni Moulavi informed Pillayan that there was a group within their organization prepared to die. This information reached suspect Suresh Sallay. He then took steps to make use of those individuals willing to die. That is how Seyni, Sallay, and Pillayan became connected.

Since 2017, there had allegedly been plans to use this group for a certain operation. Six individuals, including Zaharan Hashim, who later died in the Easter attacks, reportedly met Suresh Sallay in Puttalam and held discussions.

At the time of the Easter attacks, suspect Suresh Sallay allegedly telephoned Azad Maulana and instructed him to go near the Taj Samudra Hotel and pick up an individual there, while also taking custody of that person’s phone. That individual was Jameel, who later detonated a bomb in Dehiwala. Waruna Jayasundara had described Jameel as an innocent person. Therefore, we are also investigating officer Waruna Jayasundara.”

The Additional Solicitor General further stated:

“After the attacks, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, and Namal Rajapaksa visited Pillayan at the Batticaloa Prison. They informed him that he would be released within a week if Gotabaya Rajapaksa became President. They had also informed him that Suresh Sallay would be brought back to Sri Lanka and appointed as the head of intelligence.

Subsequently, Gotabaya Rajapaksa became President. Thereafter, Suresh Sallay, who had served as head of Military Intelligence, was appointed head of the entire State Intelligence Service. This was done to prevent intelligence information from reaching other divisions.

When Seyni Moulavi was remanded, a sum of Rs. 250,000 was spent to secure his bail. That money had allegedly been paid by Military Intelligence, while Pillayan had reportedly arranged another Rs. 50,000 for the expenses of Seyni Moulavi’s family. Public funds were spent to protect suicide bombers. This was done to prevent extremist activities from being exposed until the election scheduled six months later.

Initially, there had allegedly been plans to target either a military group in the Northern Province or launch an attack in the South. However, it was later decided to carry out the attack on Easter Sunday, a highly sensitive day for Catholic devotees.

Pillayan’s group and Military Intelligence worked together, not for national security, but to target political opponents and carry out killings.

Azad Maulana’s statement reveals crimes allegedly committed jointly by Pillayan’s group and Military Intelligence, including the abduction of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, the assault on Keith Noyahr, the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge, the attack on Upali Tennakoon, the killing of journalist Taraki Sivaram, and the abduction and disappearance of Eastern University Vice Chancellor Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath.

Salaries had allegedly been paid by Military Intelligence to more than 2,000 members of Pillayan’s group, not for national security purposes, but to carry out political contracts.

I have informed the Army Commander in writing to prevent such activities. If these activities continue, even the Army Commander may have to be produced before court as a suspect for concealing information.

After the Easter attacks, Azad Maulana’s family members were allegedly brought to a hotel in Ahungalla by Suresh Sallay. He had also promised Maulana employment at an embassy. We have obtained all entries from the hotel logbooks. The suspect also hosted Pillayan, his family, and Azad Maulana at that hotel.”

Further submissions by the Additional Solicitor General included:

“Your Honour, I strongly oppose producing suspect Suresh Sallay before court while he remains under detention. There are threats to his life. We cannot allow him to use this as a platform. People have been dying under mysterious circumstances these days. Therefore, I request that the previous Magistrate’s order directing the suspect to be produced in court be revoked.

Suspect Suresh Sallay has sought permission under Section 127 of the Criminal Procedure Code to make a statement before the Magistrate. This is an attempt to disrupt the investigation. An organized group is trying to sabotage this investigation and halt it altogether.”

The Additional Solicitor General also stated:

“There is no doubt that Suresh Sallay is the central figure behind the Easter attacks. The others revolve around him. We are also investigating on whose behalf he acted. We will identify the main individuals responsible and bring them before the law.”

Dileepa Peiris further informed court that Azad Maulana is willing to return to Sri Lanka if guarantees are provided for his security.

He also stated that Azad Maulana had revealed that records were maintained of discussions held between Suresh Sallay, military intelligence officers, and Zaharan Hashim’s group, and that Maulana possesses five notebooks containing such records.

Thereafter, President’s Counsel Shavindra Fernando, appearing for suspect Suresh Sallay, made submissions before court, stating:

“The prosecution repeatedly stated that they travelled to France and recorded a statement from Azad Maulana. However, the contents of that statement cannot be accepted as evidence unless they are subjected to cross-examination before court.

He gave those statements to Channel 4. Anyone in Britain can understand the reputation of Channel 4. It is widely regarded as lacking credibility.

Azad Maulana is also not returning to Sri Lanka as there is an open warrant against him in connection with allegations of bigamy.

The Additional Solicitor General also accused the defence of obtaining copies of statements recorded under Section 127 of the Criminal Procedure Code from several witnesses in this case. If the CID can obtain copies of those statements, why can’t we?

The Additional Solicitor General also alleged that lawyer-client access involving these suspects was not being supervised. I am deeply concerned about that statement because it amounts to a violation of lawyers’ privileges. A request of this nature from the Attorney General undermines the fundamental rights of lawyers.

My client is being subjected to a situation equivalent to being killed without dying. During the previous hearing, my client requested permission to make a statement before the Magistrate. At that time, the previous Magistrate stated that he should think carefully before responding. Accordingly, my client has now instructed me to inform the court that he wishes to make a statement, and I request that the recording of that statement begin today itself. He intends to make a lengthy statement, and it may not be concluded within a single day.”

Thereafter, President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne, appearing on behalf of victims of the Easter attacks, including His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, informed court that in his opinion it would not be appropriate to produce the suspect before court while he remains under detention orders.

After considering submissions made by all parties, the Magistrate announced that the order regarding the prosecution’s request not to produce detained suspect Suresh Sallay before court would be delivered on July 1, 2026.

The Magistrate further ordered that the decision regarding Sallay’s request for permission to make a statement before the Magistrate under Section 127 of the Criminal Procedure Code would also be delivered on the same day.

Until then, the Magistrate directed the CID to continue detaining the suspect under detention orders and to produce him before court on the next hearing date.

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