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Sri Lanka Arrests Ex-Spy Chief over 2019 Easter Bombings
The Criminal Investigation Department probes possible lapses by Suresh Salley amid allegations linking him to Islamist groups behind attacks killing nearly 270 people, officials said.
- Police arrested Suresh Salley, a retired army major general and former intelligence chief, in connection with the April 21, 2019 bombings that killed nearly 270 people.
- On Easter Sunday, two Islamist groups carried out six nearly simultaneous suicide bomb attacks targeting churches and leading tourist hotels, shaking the island nation.
- The Criminal Investigation Department is probing possible links by Salley after a 2023 Channel 4 interview where Azad Maulana said he arranged a meeting between Salley and National Thowheed Jamath and recognized attackers in security-camera footage.
- Allegations tie the pre-attack meeting to a political motive, as it allegedly aimed to create insecurity to help former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa win, but Sri Lanka's defense ministry denied involvement.
- The wartime context and militia ties shape the story's broader significance as Suresh Salley was credited with a role ending the 2009 war and Azad Maulana was a former Tamil Tigers breakaway group's spokesperson turned pro-state militia.
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25 Articles
The Killeen Daily Herald+10 Reposted by 10 other sources
Sri Lanka arrests ex-spy chief over 2019 Easter bombings
Sri Lanka's criminal investigators arrested the country's former intelligence chief on Wednesday in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners.
The former head of Sri Lanka's intelligence services, Suresh Sallay, was arrested on Wednesday as part of an investigation into the series of suicide bombings on Easter Sunday 2019 that killed 279 people, police said.
·Montreal, Canada
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Leaning Left6Leaning Right1Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
C 42%
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