National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa has strongly criticised the arrest of former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director, retired Major General Suresh Sallay, claiming that it is part of a broader political effort ultimately targeting former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Addressing the media, Weerawansa described the arrest as an attempt to weaken Sri Lanka’s intelligence apparatus to satisfy external interests. He defended Sallay’s professional conduct, noting that intelligence officers often maintain contact with extremist elements to gather information.
“Intelligence is always inside the enemy,” he said, emphasising that communication with members of proscribed organisations for intelligence purposes does not equate to supporting terrorism. He further highlighted Sallay’s role during the final stages of the civil war and his work monitoring the activities of Easter Sunday attack mastermind Zahran Hashim after signs of radicalisation emerged.
Weerawansa alleged that intelligence units under Sallay had warned the National Security Council during the previous ‘Yahapalana’ administration about Zahran’s alleged links to ISIS, but that the warnings were ignored. He argued that if the information had been acted upon, the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks might have been prevented.
The MP further claimed that the arrest is part of a wider political conspiracy aimed at implicating Rajapaksa. “The next step is Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” he asserted, suggesting the move is designed to appease elements of the Tamil diaspora and sections of local society critical of the military’s role in ending the war.
Weerawansa also raised concerns about the handling of evidence in the ongoing investigations, alleging that fabricated material is being used to mislead the judiciary. He pointed to the release of certain assets belonging to the Ibrahim family — whose sons carried out the bombings — and the reported overseas departure of a domestic worker linked to the household, suggesting inconsistencies in the investigative process.
He warned that targeting former military and intelligence officials could have serious consequences and stated that his political faction would continue to oppose what he described as an unjust campaign against security personnel.
