Church dismisses claims Cardinal knew of Easter attacks
COLOMBO – The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has strongly rejected allegations circulating on social media that Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, had prior knowledge of the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, describing the claims as false, baseless and aimed at undermining ongoing efforts to uncover the truth behind the bombings.
Addressing a media briefing in Colombo on Wednesday (17), Cardinal Ranjith’s Media Spokesperson, Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, urged the public not to believe or disseminate what he described as unverified and misleading information being shared online.
He said the allegations were based solely on statements made by former parliamentarian Harin Fernando before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks.
According to Fr. Cyril Gamini, the claims had already been addressed and rejected by the Catholic Church in September 2020 through a special statement issued by three Auxiliary Bishops of the Archdiocese of Colombo.
“The repeated allegations circulating on social media that the Archbishop had prior knowledge of the attacks are completely false and without foundation,” he said.
Fr. Cyril Gamini also dismissed claims that intelligence warnings received by security agencies before the attacks had been communicated to Cardinal Ranjith, describing such assertions as entirely untrue.
He said the allegations were being deliberately revived and promoted at a time when investigations into the Easter Sunday bombings were continuing.
“These false claims are being advanced with the intention of obstructing or undermining ongoing efforts to establish the truth behind the Easter Sunday attacks,” he said.
The Catholic Church has been among the strongest advocates for a full and transparent investigation into the coordinated suicide bombings carried out on April 21, 2019, which targeted churches and hotels across Sri Lanka, killing more than 260 people and injuring hundreds more.
Cardinal Ranjith has repeatedly called for accountability and justice for the victims and their families, while urging authorities to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the attacks and any possible failures in preventing them.
Fr. Cyril Gamini appealed to the public to exercise caution when engaging with information shared on social media and to refrain from spreading allegations that have not been verified by credible evidence.
“We request the people of this country not to believe or share unsubstantiated information being circulated through social media platforms,” he said.
-ENCL
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