Aug 25, Colombo: The series of suicide attacks on Easter Sunday in 2019 was not a single crime planned by a group including the ringleader of the attack Zaharan Hashim in a short period of time, the Inspector General of Police C. D. Wickramaratne states.

Delivering a special video statement on the progress of the investigations into the incident, the IGP further stated that the Easter attack appears to be terrorist act well-planned long before it was carried out.

The IGP stated that several events that led up to the carnage – including the time bomb attack on a house in Kattankudy, murder of two constables on duty at Vavunathivu roadblock, Buddhist status vandalism in Mawanella and recovery of explosives from Wanathavilluwa – indicate that it was pre-planned.

IGP CD Wickramaratne said 311 suspects arrested in connection with the terror attack are being detained or remanded and further investigations are being carried out. He added that the investigations are being carried out under his direct supervision without any influence from any party.

Statements made by various groups on media and social media have also been investigated, and investigations have revealed that most of such statements are mere comments, Mr. Wickramaratne said.

The IGP points out that the complex criminal investigation is being carried out in complete secrecy. As a result, disclosure of information to the public could be an obstacle to court proceedings.