'Govt. concealing real mastermind of 2019 attacks' - Patali

Colombo (News 1st); "The government is attempting to conceal the real mastermind of the 2019 April 21st Attacks," said opposition MP Patali Champika Ranawaka on Friday (09).

"First they said Zaharan Hashim was the mastermind of the attacks, and now they say it is someone else," said Champika Ranawaka adding that according to the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the 2019 April 21st Attacks, in 2006 certain groups in the eastern province were given weapons and among them were 'Police Faisz', 'Army Mohideen' and Zaharan's brother Rilwan. "(Prime Minister) Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella have accepted the fact that military intelligence supported the Thawheed Jamaa'ath movements since 2010 and those organizations were proscribed in Sri Lanka recently," pointed out Ranawaka adding those claims are yet to be investigated. Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said the government has zero evidence to claim Naufer Maulavi planned the series of attacks, adding the government is attempting to mislead the people from the truth. "Zaharan had connections with the government before 2015 and I strongly believe there is a leader above all of them," said the SJB MP.