EX-PM did not fully cooperate with NSC meetings: Fmr. Army Chief

Fmr PM stayed only five-ten minutes at NSC meetings z Although DMI had informed about threats posed by Zahran and NTJ noone at the NSC considered them as serious

Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had not considered about National Security in a serious manner and he had not fully cooperated with the National

Security Council (NSC) meetings, former Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake yesterday informed the PCOI probing Easter Sunday attacks.

at Commander through Minister Intelligence warnings the Although Testifying NSC video stayed about meetings. (DMI) Directorate said before conference only threats that had the five former informed posed Commission of to former Military ten Prime by minutes of Zahran Army prior and the at considered the National National National those Security Thowheed Security warnings in 2018,no Council Jama’at as serious, (NSC) (NTJ) official to he the said. Digana Senanayake riots the DMI said had that notified during of pose possible to National threats Security which Zahran in future.“after could the Digana riots in March,2018,the DMI had told relevant officials who enforce the law,to arrest Zahran; but none of those officials heeded those warnings,” he said. He said that Zahran’s IS

ideology had been monitored by the DMI in 2018 and he had informed that Zahran was instigating Muslim youth in the country to follow the IS ideology,at NSC meetings. se na na yak es aid that former President Maithripala Sirisena also knew about Zahran’s IS ideology since 2018. Accordingly,the Commissioners questioned witness on why the security heads had failed to take necessary action to arrest Zahran Hashim and his team. “Different parties managed the relevant institutions which enforce the law in the country.there was a huge competition among the investigation agencies and they did not cooperate with the DMI when conducting inquiries.if the entities which had the power to enforce the law had taken steps to arrest Zahran,the tragic attack would have not happened,” he said.