Sri Lanka Easter Blasts: Calls Mount For Mastermind Investigation

On the 7th anniversary of the devastating Easter blasts, Sri Lanka faces renewed calls to investigate the masterminds behind the attacks and ensure justice for the victims.

All photographs: Ramesh Menon

IMAGE: All photographs: Ramesh Menon

Key Points

Sri Lanka commemorates the 7th anniversary of the Easter blasts.
Archbishop Ranjith urges investigation into individuals involved in the Easter attacks, regardless of status.
The attacks, carried out by an Islamist extremist group linked to ISIS, killed nearly 270 people in 2019.
Ranjith highlights attempts to obstruct investigations and calls for accountability.
He questions why officials failed to prevent the attacks despite advance warnings.

Sri Lanka on Tuesday commemorated the 7th anniversary of the Easter blasts, with Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith urging authorities to investigate individuals directly or indirectly involved in the deadly attacks, irrespective of their status.

Nine suicide bombers belonging to a local Islamist extremist group linked to ISIS carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21, 2019, killing nearly 270 people, including 11 Indians, and injuring over 500 others.

Calls for Thorough Investigation

Addressing a special mass to mark seven years since the attacks, Ranjith said that certain factions are attempting to obstruct the investigations.

He said that it is essential for the authorities to investigate individuals directly or indirectly involved in the attacks, irrespective of their status.

"Anyone sitting in a high position in any area of life, be it in the political arena, the security establishment or the commercial field, if found to have had any link, should be called upon to give evidence or be prosecuted without considering the service they rendered in the past," he said.

"Finding the mastermind of the Easter attacks is ensuring justice and upholding the fundamental rights of the victims and their families," he added.

Concerns Over Obstruction and Accountability

He was apparently referring to the arrest and detention of the head of state intelligence, Suresh Sallay, in February.

Ranjith said that if a security official is involved in a crime, they are also liable before the law.

He said it was important to find out why high-ranking officials in the police and security establishment did not take any effective action to prevent the attacks despite being warned well in advance by Indian intelligence.

Government's Stance and Ongoing Challenges

The Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led government that came to power in 2024 is indeed taking a more positive attitude regarding the Easter bombings, he said.

However, he added that certain officials of the "deep state" were still seeking to obstruct the smooth process of the investigation.

The Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka remain a sensitive topic, with many unanswered questions surrounding the events leading up to the attacks and the subsequent investigations. The Archbishop's continued calls for a thorough and impartial investigation reflect the deep-seated desire for justice and accountability among the victims' families and the wider community. The involvement of Indian intelligence highlights the regional implications of the tragedy.

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