Sri Lanka cabinet panel to submit report on recommendations of Easter attack commission to President

The Cabinet panel that studied the recommendations of the Presidential Commission into the Easter attacks would submit its report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday.

While speaking to the media, Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that the report will be released to the public after it is handed over to the President, Colombo Page reported.

President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa recently appointed the Cabinet Sub-Committee to study in-depth the findings and recommendations contained in the report on the Easter Sunday attack and to advise on the next course of action.

The committee, chaired by Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, comprises Minister Udaya Gammanpila, Prasanna Ranatunga, Johnston Fernando, and Rohitha Abeygunawardena.

The report of the new committee was due to be submitted on March 15 and the committee took another two weeks to investigate further. That period ended on March 30 and the committee report will be presented to the President by the committee members before the Cabinet meeting next Monday, the Colombo Page reported.

On April 21, 2019, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the capital Colombo were targeted in a series of coordinated terrorist suicide bombings. Over 250 people were killed and scores suffered injuries.

A local terror group called National Thowheeth Jama'ath had claimed responsibility for the devastating attacks. The island nation was put under a state of emergency for a period of four months from April to August.

According to the government, a total of 676 persons were arrested in connection with the Easter attacks, of whom 202 remain in remand custody, 66 have been detained for questioning, and 408 released on bail, yet investigations on them are continuing.

( With inputs from ANI )