UNIPA News(Colombo)25 February, 2026 : Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Wednesday arrested former intelligence chief Major General (Retd.) Suresh Sallay in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. He was taken into custody in Colombo for questioning.
A police spokesperson said Sallay was detained under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), but declined to provide further details about the specific charges.
“We are awaiting instructions from the CID on specific charges. He has been arrested in connection with the Easter attacks and will be presented before a court of law,” the spokesperson said.
Sallay was appointed head of the State Intelligence Service in late 2019 by then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. At the time of the bombings, he held a senior position in the armed forces. He could not be reached for comment while in custody and does not yet have legal representation.
In 2023, Britain’s Channel 4 aired reports alleging that Sallay had links to the bombers and allowed the attacks to proceed in an attempt to influence the 2019 presidential election in favor of Rajapaksa. Sallay has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, elected in 2024, has pledged to hold those responsible accountable.
The coordinated suicide bombings on April 21, 2019, targeted three churches and three hotels, killing 279 people and injuring about 500 others. The majority of the victims were members of Sri Lanka’s minority Christian community.
Court proceedings are ongoing against several others accused of links to the attacks.
