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A Sri Lankan tribunal connected Wednesday (June 3, 2026) imposed an overseas question prohibition connected erstwhile President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksaand 2 erstwhile subject officers successful transportation with ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter attack.
The Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court issued the bid aft considering a question filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the coordinated termination bombings that targeted churches and luxury hotels crossed the land federation connected April 21, 2019, that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians.
The question restrictions besides use to Army Colonel Mohamed Ansar and erstwhile quality serviceman Premananda Udalagama, besides known arsenic Silva.
Magistrate Pasan Amarasekara issued the bid erstwhile the lawsuit involving erstwhile State Intelligence Service manager Suresh Sallay was taken up earlier the court.
Mr. Sallay, who has been named arsenic a fishy successful the proceedings, is being held nether detention orders aft his apprehension connected Thursday (February 25, 2026) arsenic portion of efforts to place the alleged mastermind down the attacks.
Mr. Sallay was serving successful a diplomatic presumption overseas erstwhile the onslaught took place. He headed the authorities quality work nether the then- President Percy Mahinda Rajapaksa authorities anterior to 2015.
Police told the tribunal that ongoing investigations could beryllium hampered if Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the 2 subject officers were to fly the country.
2019 allegations
Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the younger member of erstwhile President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, announced his candidacy for the presidency soon aft the bombings and went connected to triumph the November 2019 election.
Investigators person alleged that the Easter attacks whitethorn person been exploited to make a clime of insecurity that benefited Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's statesmanlike campaign, though nary specified allegations person been proven successful court.
Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to resign successful July 2022 amid wide protests implicit Sri Lanka's worst economical situation successful decades, with critics accusing his medication of economical mismanagement and corruption.
He has repeatedly denied immoderate engagement successful a conspiracy linked to the bombings.
Sri Lanka’s information lapses
The Easter attack, carried retired by the section Islamist extremist radical National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ), linked to ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), targeted 3 churches and 3 luxury hotels successful Colombo and different parts of the country.
It exposed superior lapses successful Sri Lanka's information apparatus, arsenic the past authorities led by President Maithripala Yapa Sirisena was accused of inaction to forestall the attacks contempt anterior quality warnings shared by India astir an imminent violent strike.
The existent National People's Power (NPP) government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, reopened the Easter panic onslaught investigations successful precocious 2024, stating that governmental power had earlier led to a cover-up.
The christianity religion successful the Buddhist-majority state had besides expressed its concerns implicit the investigations, which they branded arsenic a governmental cover-up to support the almighty who could person masterminded the attack.
