Court hears fresh allegations over intelligence failures in Easter attacks probe

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has disclosed to the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court that investigations have uncovered information pointing to potential intelligence failures prior to the Easter Sunday attacks that killed over 250 people in April 2019.

During court proceedings, the CID presented findings suggesting that certain sections of the intelligence apparatus may have possessed information relevant to preventing the coordinated bombings across churches and hotels in Colombo and other locations. The specific nature of the intelligence and the agencies involved were presented as part of the ongoing criminal investigation.

The revelations represent a notable shift in the investigation's direction, potentially implicating official negligence or institutional breakdowns in the security apparatus. Previous inquiries had focused primarily on the bombing network and their handlers.

The case remains before the magistrate as investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the attacks and the intelligence frameworks that existed at the time. The CID's findings are expected to form part of the broader accountability process examining how the attack was allowed to occur despite prior warning indicators.