The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) probing the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks has revealed that State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena had contacted former President Maithripala Sirisena’s security officer a 43 minutes prior to the first explosion.
The PCoI revealed that Jayawardena had contacted Sirisena’s security official while in Singapore at 08.02 am local time on 21st April 2019 and records show that the call had taken place for 63 seconds. The first explosion had thereafter occurred at 08.45 a.m
Earlier, testifying before the Commission, former President Maithripala Sirisena had said that SIS Director Nilantha Jayawardena had failed to inform him of the foreign intelligence report received on the 04th of April 2019 pertaining to the attacks.
He had also reported that Jayawardena had only contacted him after the series of explosions.
However, the Additional Solicitor General to the PCoI pointed out the phone call in question was made before the explosions had taken place and questioned how would Jayawardena inform the former President of an explosion in such circumstances.
Telecommunication analysis of the PCoI has also revealed that Jayawardena had contacted Sirisena on multiple occasions from 04th to 16th April 2019, prior to the latter leaving for Singapore.
Responding to the Additional Solicitor General, Sirisena has stated that he does not recall receiving a phone call from the SIS Director prior the attacks and that he was hospitalised in Singapore at the time.
Sirisena has further said that his security personnel were also not permitted to be close to him while in hospital. (With inputs from NewsFirst)
*Story was updated with additional details.