Former Director SIS testifies before the Trial-at-Bar

Nilantha Jayawardena, former director of the State Intelligence Service,  identified as an individual to have prevented the Easter Sunday attacks by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry yesterday (23), testified before the High Court –at- Bar as a key prosecution witness in the cases filed against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara. High Court Trial-at-Bar today commenced the hearing into the cases filed against Hemasiri Fernando and Pujith Jayasundara in connection with his criminal negligence and failure to prevent Easter Sunday Terrorist attacks. Jayawardane said although some people attempted to portray the attack on the Mawanella Buddha statues as sabotage, the witness said he informed the former IGP and the Senior DIG in charge of the CID that it was an extremist act with Saharan's knowledge. Witness Nilantha Jayawardena informed the court that he brought to the notice of the authorities in May 2018 that Saharan Hashim's freedom in a society where Islamic extremist ideologies were spreading was a danger and that a police team deployed to arrest him. Further trial is to be resumed tomorrow (24). The Attorney General filed indictments consisting of 855 charges against the two accused. The Attorney General filed indictments against them for failing to take appropriate measures to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks despite having prior knowledge of the attack.