Colombo Archbishop His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith today (21 April) renewed his call for justice and a full investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, asserting that six years on, key questions remain unanswered and that a powerful group behind the bombings has yet to be exposed.
Speaking at a memorial event held at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, the Cardinal addressed the families of those killed and injured in the coordinated suicide bombings, which targeted churches and luxury hotels across Sri Lanka on 21 April 2019.
“Those representing the families affected by the Easter Sunday attacks, brothers and sisters — we are gathered here to once again remember and reflect on the heartbreaking moment we experienced six years ago at this very location in Kochchikade, as well as at St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo, at Zion Church in Batticaloa, and at three well-known tourist hotels in Colombo,” he said.
The attacks claimed the lives of more than 225 Sri Lankans and over 45 foreign nationals, with more than 500 others injured or traumatised. “We sincerely acknowledge that nothing we do can truly lessen the sorrow and pain of those whose lives were shattered. Yet, we pray that through our efforts, they may find some measure of peace and strength,” the Cardinal added.
Reiterating his long-standing appeal for non-retaliation, Cardinal Ranjith reminded the public of his call on the day of the attacks to refrain from seeking revenge. “I assure you again today that we are committed to uncovering and bringing to justice those behind this destructive campaign.”
He emphasised that the scale and coordination of the bombings made it evident that the attackers were not acting alone. “It became clear that a large-scale, synchronised attack across multiple locations could not have been carried out without support from a powerful group behind the known terrorists. These extremists could not have executed such destruction on their own.”
Referring to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed by former President Maithripala Sirisena, Cardinal Ranjith said the commission made two key findings: it examined the ideological link between Zaharan Hashim and Islamic extremism, and it exposed the failure of intelligence services, who had prior warnings but took no preventive action.
The commission recommended legal action against political leaders, police and military officers, and intelligence officials who failed in their duties. However, the Cardinal pointed out that the commission also admitted it could not investigate “certain powerful external actors and forces behind these terrorist acts” due to lack of time and lack of cooperation from the government.
He outlined several critical issues that were left unexplored:
- The whereabouts and current status of Sara Jesmine, wife of the Katana suicide bomber.
- The true identity and role of a mysterious figure known only as Sonic Sonic.
- Sonic’s alleged collaboration with Podi Saharan, based in Matale, in organising and executing the attacks under the ISIS banner.
- A suspicious order by a senior police officer to halt the inspection of a lorry at the Galanigama expressway interchange.
- An alleged cover-up attempt involving the murder of two police sergeants, reportedly directed by another senior officer.
- Possible connections between the seventh suicide bomber, Jameel, and Sri Lankan intelligence agencies.
“These issues were not investigated because the Commission lacked the legal authority and time,” Cardinal Ranjith said. “Nevertheless, it is clear the Commission did its best to uphold justice within the constraints it faced.”
He then turned his criticism toward what he called the intervention of a powerful Deep State structure, which, according to him, has been working to sabotage the investigation from the beginning and is still trying to derail it even today.
“There is a powerful invisible force — a deep and dark power network — that has actively prevented the truth from coming to light. This force, which I call the ‘Deep State’, has intervened in every possible way to silence voices, distort facts, and shield the real masterminds behind the attacks,” he said.
“Even now, we see how certain individuals and even sections of the media, who are either backed by or sympathetic to these hidden forces, are working to manipulate the public narrative. Their goal is to confuse the people, protect those responsible, and ensure that justice remains out of reach,” the Cardinal warned.
He criticised the government that received the Commission’s final report, stating that promises made during the 2019 presidential election were abandoned once that administration assumed power. “Later, doubts grew about certain actions taken by the government. Was a sincere and just investigation ever truly conducted?” he asked.
“The report was never presented to Parliament. It was never made public. As a result, suspicions continued to arise about an invisible hand behind the attacks,” he said.
The Cardinal also revealed that the Catholic Church was given a copy of the Commission’s report by the previous government — but only after all witness testimonies and annexures were removed. “We were handed only the recommendations. Now the report lies in the Parliament library, under orders that it must not be disclosed to the public. This is unacceptable. The report must be made public,” he demanded.
He concluded with a renewed call for truth, transparency, and accountability:
“We owe it to the victims and their families to ensure that the full truth is uncovered and justice is served — not only to honour their memory but to safeguard the future of our nation.”
