Fresh Revelations in Easter Attacks Case as Suresh Salley Taken for Medical Examination

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former State Intelligence Chief, retired Major General Suresh Salley, who is currently being held under a detention order in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, was presented before a Judicial Medical Officer this morning.

Retired Major General Suresh Salley was produced before the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer under tight security provided by the Special Task Force of the Police.

This step was taken by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) following a court order issued based on a request made by attorneys-at-law appearing on behalf of Suresh Salley before the Fort Magistrate’s Court.

During ongoing court proceedings related to the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, several serious facts uncovered by the CID have continued to emerge before the Fort Magistrate’s Court.

News First has, over the past few days, revealed a number of these serious matters.

What follows is another key revelation.

A central question arising from the investigation is whether Pulasthini, also known as Sarah Jasmine, the wife of the Katuwapitiya suicide bomber,  died in the Sainthamaruthu explosion following the April 21, 2019 attacks, or whether she went missing.

From the outset of the terrorist operation, Sarah Jasmine was identified as a key operative figure.

Although it was previously claimed, citing DNA reports, that Sarah had died, the CID has now revealed that she did not die in the explosion.

According to CID findings, Pulasthini, also known as Sarah Jasmine, fled to India, and evidence relating to her route of travel has now been obtained as part of the investigation.

This raises serious questions as to how earlier claims were made that she died in the Sainthamaruthu incident.

DNA samples obtained from the remains of 16 individuals killed in the Sainthamaruthu blast failed to identify Sarah Jasmine on two separate occasions. How, then, was her death confirmed during a third DNA test?

Several grave facts have emerged through CID investigation reports submitted to court.

The first DNA report was issued on September 19, 2019, which confirmed that Sarah Jasmine had not died.

A second report issued on March 3, 2021, arrived at the same conclusion.

Samples for a third DNA examination were obtained on April 27, 2022.

Investigators have outlined how the groundwork for this third test was laid.

Following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s appointment as President, Suresh Salley, now under detention, was appointed as State Intelligence Chief.

Under normal procedure, the CID is not summoned to National Security Council meetings.

However, during investigations, a former CID Deputy Inspector General revealed that he was abruptly summoned to such a meeting.

At that meeting, despite the CID maintaining that there was no justification for re-testing DNA samples, Suresh Salley allegedly stated that CID investigations were moving too slowly and insisted that Sarah Jasmine’s DNA samples be retested.

CID officers reportedly informed the council that since Sarah Jasmine had not been identified in two prior DNA tests, further testing would be futile.

Judicial Medical Officers also indicated that there was no such requirement.

Despite this, Salley is alleged to have stated that the CID had not acted as claimed.

When the then Inspector General of Police was instructed to look into the matter, the former President reportedly remarked, while looking at both Salley and the IGP, that Salley’s statements could be interpreted as requiring action based on his wishes.

Former IGP C. D. Wickramaratne has stated that Suresh Salley repeatedly raised the issue of a third DNA test related to Sarah Jasmine during National Security Council meetings.

Another former Deputy Inspector General testified that during intelligence review meetings, Salley claimed investigations had not been properly conducted, stating that Sarah Jasmine had not fled to India and had instead died at the scene.

According to this testimony, Salley alleged that a proper DNA test would confirm this claim.

The Deputy Inspector General further stated that Salley continued to demand a fresh DNA test during intelligence meetings and, when his directives were not followed, the matter was escalated to the National Security Council to obtain directions from the President.

He also stated that, following presidential instructions, he inspected the crime scene and made a presentation to the National Security Council.

During this process, the President reportedly instructed that samples be taken from fragmented remains.

The Deputy Inspector General said that the intense pressure caused severe stress, leading him to undergo heart surgery, after which he was immediately transferred to Police Headquarters without holding a position.

A former CID Inspector has also testified regarding how samples were obtained for the third DNA test in April 2022.

He stated that a black polythene bag containing bone fragments was found adjacent to the grave numbered 16 of those killed in Sainthamaruthu.

This was labeled as grave number 17, and bone fragments from it were taken for testing.

An additional Government Analyst testified that two small bone fragments were identified as belonging to the daughter born to Sarah Jasmine’s mother.

She further stated that, following DNA extraction, there were no remaining fragments of those bones.

The Judicial Medical Officer present during the second exhumation stated that, based on photographs, the bone fragment identified as belonging to Sarah Jasmin, labeled 17-D, appeared to be a lower vertebra of a human body, but no such bone was observed when the remains were originally recovered.

A report related to this matter was prepared for submission to the Kalmunai Court on February 15, 2023. However, it was revealed that the Inspector General of Police personally visited the Government Analyst’s Department and took the report.

It was also disclosed that Suresh Salley, then State Intelligence Chief, was present at the time, and that soon after obtaining the report, it was publicized through the Police Media Spokesman.

The CID informed court that it was highly unusual for the then IGP and the State Intelligence Chief to personally obtain a DNA report and issue an immediate media statement confirming Sarah Jasmine’s death.

According to the CID, this amounted to an obstruction of ongoing investigations that were proceeding on the assumption that Sarah Jasmine was alive.

The CID further stated that preliminary investigations show the explosions and fires at the Sainthamaruthu house were not powerful enough to completely destroy a human body.

Investigation reports also note that, according to a statement made by Zaharan’s wife, Fatima Hadiya, Sarah Jasmine was inside the house following the blast.

These findings continue to emerge as the case progresses before the Fort Magistrate’s Court.