Easter Sunday carnage could have been prevented if then government heeded advance intelligence – Prime Minister
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, yesterday, stated that the Easter Sunday carnage was the worst terrorist attack, on civilians, ever to take place, not only in Asia, but also anywhere in the world, and it could have easily been prevented had those in charge of security and power acted promptly on the warnings.
In a statement titled ‘Remembering the Easter Sunday Attacks’ the Premier said: “We in Sri Lanka are no strangers to suicide bombings. However, the Easter Sunday bombings differed from what we had experienced during the 30-year war against separatism. The intelligence service of a friendly country had provided advance warning to the then Sri Lankan government of the possible dates and targets of the attacks, and the names, addresses, identity card numbers and even telephone numbers of the terrorists involved. Therefore, this attack could easily have been prevented.”
Full text of Prime Minister Rajapaksa’s statement:
“Last year, on Easter Sunday – 21st April 2019, suicide bombings on three Christian churches,as well as three prominent hotels, in Colombo, killed over 250 and injured more than 500 people. Most of the victims were worshipers who had gathered in Churches to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This was the worst terrorist attack, on civilians, ever to take place, not only in Asia, but also anywhere in the world. The Tokyo poison gas attack of 1995, the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995, the London bombings of 2005 and the Mumbai attacks of 2008, which are internationally remembered, were all of a lesser magnitude than the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka. One victim of the Easter Sunday attacks died recently after battling for life for nearly a year. Some victims are still receiving treatment for their injuries.
“We in Sri Lanka are no strangers to suicide bombings. However, the Easter
Sunday bombings differed from what we had experienced during the 30-year war against separatism. The intelligence service of a friendly country had provided advance warning to the then Sri Lankan government of the possible dates and targets of the attacks, and the names, addresses, identity card numbers and even telephone numbers of the terrorists involved. Therefore, this attack could easily have been prevented.
“The Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has requested all Catholics to light a lamp in their homes in remembrance of the victims. I wish to request Sri Lankans to remember those who died, were injured, and those who were disabled due to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks in accordance with their own faiths.
“I wish you the blessings of the Triple Gem. May God Bless you!”
(Source: The Island)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka turns to Indian and Russian companies to manage Chinese-funded Airport April 26, 2024
- Sri Lanka’s state revenue surges to record Rs. 834 Billion in first quarter 2024 April 26, 2024
- Army soldier killed, 9 injured in Mankulam cab-lorry collision April 26, 2024
- Electricity trade unions to take legal action against Sri Lanka Electricity Bill April 26, 2024
- Gotabaya Rajapaksa refutes Cardinal Ranjith’s allegations on Easter Sunday Attacks April 25, 2024
Exactly. The Indian government warned Sri Lanka about this attack with pin point accuracy to the time and the locations of these attacks. But at that time Sri Lanka had Senile prime minister called ponil and a pabaya president called Sirisena who cannot distinguish left foot from the right foot
You are right Brother Ranjith. Besides, Senile PM and Pambaya Sirisena there were other elements such as powerful Muslim Ministers and Muslim supporting Ministers such as Rajitha were there. JVP was in a luxurious sleep as Mr. Ibraheem was one of their supporters
These Yahapalanaya bas*ards must be arrested and prosecuted for INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER and CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE!
Both Pambaya Sirisena and Ponil are going scott free today after having thrown the former IGP and Def Secretary into the death-noose!
True those two incompetent retards are responsible 100% and they deserve very long jail sentences, but one has to dig deeper and find out why these two incompetent morons behaved the way they did – i.e. what political pressure did they have brought upon them to turn a blind-eye to what was supposedly an imminent Islamic Terrorism threat? – because, such as, for example:
Did an instruction, such as the following, go out to these two retards and to other equally retarded and subservient-to-Yahapalanya senor police/intelligence personnel:
“Do not arrest/inconvenience any suspected Muslim as it is not in our govt’s interest to have bad relationships with the Muslim community, especially now that we have a major Muslim party as part of our Yahapalanaya coalition and there are very senior ministers/politicians in our Yahapalanaya govt. who are very important to us – especially now that we are gearing up for the next Prez election when we need to depend on them to pull in the “Muslim votes” for us to win over the UPFA/Rajapakse candidate”
I,for one, personally think this is the case that was the backdrop to that Easter Sunday horror-calamity.
The rot here runs very deep and it must be surgically extracted and brought out into the open for all Sri Lankans to see what was the true failure-cause of this horrendous mass-massacre..
Frankly, I am somewhat disappointed in Gota/GoSL for not moving vigorously along this, very plausible, line – which I think holds the highest probability in an angle of investigating and apprehending and punishing the “other true culprits” – i.e. the then GoSL mfs who abdicated their responsibility to protect us!
Mr Amarakoon. The main problem here is that we Sinhalese are not united but jealous among our selves we don’t like to Sinhalese people being successful but quite happy to see other minorities achieving there goals.
We are loosing Suburban area so Muslims one after the other which was mainly Sinhalese areas.
While they have all the successful businesses as clothing food agriculture and Gem industries we just waste our time cramming books.
Iran got surplus of petrol and they sell it to Sri Lanka at a reduce rates for these politician and others to have a luxury life. But there are strings attach this deal.
The Sri lanka government has to support Muslim bushiness and one of the policy of one clothing shop is this,
Only employ beautiful Sinhalese girls but only Muslim boys. No wonder 50% Muslim children are born are to Sinhalese mothers.