• Public Security Minister says it could undermine public confidence in Police
• Says Police has never violated the public’s confidence
• Defence Secy. asks Cardinal not to teach Police how to investigate

  By Buddhika Samaraweera Statements made by Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith could undermine public confidence in the Police and the public must maintain confidence in the Police as it has never acted in a way that violates such confidence, Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd.) Sarath Weerasekera has stated.  “This type of statements could undermine the public’s confidence in the Police, but the people should trust the Police that have maintained law and order in the country for a long time. It cannot be done without the Police, so the people must have confidence in them. The Police have never acted in a way that violates that confidence,” he said when asked by journalists for a response to the Cardinal’s statements last week.  The Archbishop said last Thursday (13) that the Catholic church was not satisfied with the Police’s investigation into the recent discovery of a hand grenade at the All Saints’ Church in Borella. When asked about the Cardinal’s allegation that the Police had only watched closed circuit television (CCTV) footage of the church from 3 p.m. onwards, the Public Security Minister said that the Police had done so to arrest the suspects as soon as possible. “Police have watched the CCTV footage from 3 p.m. onwards that day because those involved need to be arrested immediately, but the Police did not say that they wouldn’t watch the other CCTV footage. The Police did not ask to destroy that footage either. If there is any other footage, the Police should be informed. The investigation is ongoing and the main suspect has been arrested,” he stated.  Speaking further, he said that the Police are currently conducting investigations regarding the suspicious person who, according to the CCTV footage of the church in the morning, had arrived at the church on the day of the incident. However, he said that the church has handed over the relevant footage to the media which should have been handed over to the Police. As a result, he claimed that persons concerned could be able to hide. “It is true that a person had come there in the morning. The Police are currently investigating him, but what is happening here is that when the CCTV footage that should be given to the Police are released to the media, the relevant persons can hide. Then the church is the one which needs to help us catch the relevant people. Releasing of such footage is highly advantageous to the suspects. I urge not to do such things again,” he added.  He claimed that there is a mastermind behind the incidents where hand grenades were discovered at the premises of a private hospital in Narahenpita on 14 September 2021 and All Saints’ Church in Borella on 12 January 2022 whose intention is to embarrass the Government, the Police, and the security forces, and pledged that they would definitely be arrested in the future. Recalling the recent incident where a hand grenade was discovered at the premises of a private hospital in Narahenpita, he said that it was the person who placed the said hand grenade who reported it. Similarly, the person who placed the bomb at the church only reported it to the Father. After that the Police went there at around 5 p.m. and arrested four suspects. The 14-year-old told the Magistrate that he had been given a bag containing the bomb by a person named “Muni” who had been working at the church for eight months, he said.  Speaking further, Weerasekera claimed that the person concerned had then taken the bomb and placed it on the altar. “The suspect accepted it. The bomb was surrounded by incense and matches. There were cello tape, matches, and incense inside this person’s room. So, how illogical is it to argue that those in the church are arrested and harassed when such a person is arrested? So such things must not be done again.”  Meanwhile, Defence Ministry Secretary General (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne also commented on the ongoing investigations into the incident and the allegations made by the Archbishop of Colombo.  Speaking to the media on 15 January, he said that it was not fair for someone to criticise the investigations that are being carried out, only 24 hours after the incident. He further said that as the Defence Secretary, he could assure that all those involved in this incident will be brought before the law.  “An investigation is not something that can be completed in two or three hours. There are many aspects to an investigation that we need to look at. So some time is needed for this. I'm not saying seven or eight months is needed, but a few days or so. So I do not think it’s fair for someone to criticise it within 24 hours of the incident.”  He said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers had a good knowledge of conducting investigations, adding that the CID and the Police had the ability to go further than the Cardinal thought and carry out the investigations as needed. “So do not rush into teaching them how to conduct the investigations. Let them complete it without making criticisms,” Gunaratne said.  However, he noted that anyone who is dissatisfied with the outcome of the investigation could criticise it once the investigations are concluded.  “Investigating officers should be able to bring the suspects before the law with sufficient evidence to prove their guilt, otherwise they will never be prosecuted and punished. Let’s leave that to the officers and see what happens,” he added.  When asked about the Cardinal’s statement to the effect that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) should take off his uniform and go home if the incident in question cannot be properly investigated, the Defence Secretary said: “It was not the Cardinal who gave the IGP the coat. I do not know if he has the right to tell the IGP to take off his coat. The IGP will not take off his coat just because someone says so, but as Defence Secretary, I know that he is conducting a proper investigation into this matter.”  He said that several more arrests are to be made in connection with the incident and that they were being carried out. “It would be a miracle if investigations could be completed with all arrests being made within two, three, or 24 hours. So this needs some time. I assure that all those involved will be brought before the law. These investigations have already gone a long way, but it cannot be explained as investigations are underway,” he concluded. Meanwhile, IGP Chandana D. Wickramaratne said in a statement to the media last Friday (14) that further investigations into the incident of a hand grenade being discovered at All Saints’ Church in Borella are being carried out based on information obtained from CCTV footage and circumstantial and personal evidence. “So far 14 statements have been recorded regarding this incident. The relevant investigations are not over yet. The facts have already been reported to the court and action will be taken to report the progress of the investigations to the courts too.”  Noting that investigations into the incident were still at an early stage, the IGP said that a comprehensive investigation is underway into who brought the hand grenade to the church, from what area it was brought, for what purpose, whether someone conspired to do so, and who aided and abetted it. “A similar bomb was found in a private hospital in Narahenpita. After nearly three months of extensive investigation, all those involved were arrested. I have also instructed the investigation divisions to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident and arrest all persons irrespective of their rank,” he mentioned. Cardinal Ranjith, last Thursday, accused the Police of not conducting a “truthful” investigation regarding the discovery of a hand grenade at the All Saints’ Church in Borella and said that Wickramaratne should “go home” if the latter cannot ensure a transparent investigation is conducted into the matter.  “Instead of searching for the truth, they are creating a story. We reject the Police’s statements and request a transparent investigation. They are trying to trap innocent people. The IGP gives big statements to newspapers and makes accusations. Officials should be honest, and not play for politicians. Remove your uniform and go home if you cannot speak the truth,” said the Cardinal at a press conference.  A hand grenade was found in the premises of All Saints’ Church on Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha opposite the Welikada Prison in Borella at around 4.40 p.m. last Wednesday (12). The hand grenade was discovered following a tip-off received by the Police and it was later defused by the Police Special Task Force (STF). The Cardinal claimed that the Police had been reluctant to look at complete CCTV footage regarding the incident despite being offered the whole footage by the church. “When the hand grenade was discovered in the evening, Church Father Jude Sherman Fernando informed the Police. At that time, the Police took the church’s sacristan along with the latter’s assistant and two others for questioning. Police Media Spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa later said that the sacristan was arrested. Fernando informed me that the Police had only requested to watch CCTV footage from 3 p.m. onwards that evening. When they had tried to show footage from the morning, the Police had seemed a bit reluctant to watch it. When we checked the footage from the morning, we found new evidence. At 9.52 a.m., a person came to the church with a shopping (sili sili) bag, wearing black pants, and walking with a limp. He crossed himself when he entered the church, but it is clear that he is not a Catholic as he used the wrong method to cross himself. He walked to the end of a bench, stopped near a statue, bent down, and took something from his pants. When a worker entered and passed him, we can see him hurrying out of the church, this time without a limp. The Police did not look at this footage. This was where the hand grenade was,” said the Archbishop, whilst showing CCTV footage of the same. He queried as to why the Police had only checked the footage from 3 p.m. onwards. “The post-3 p.m. footage shows our helper cleaning that area with a broom. When he came to the corner, he bent down and picked something up and kept it on top of the bench. We assume that this was the thing that was kept there in the morning by the earlier individual. The helper looked at the thing in fear and ran to the other side. He informed his assistant and they both checked and they talked about it. Then, they informed Fernando.”  Meanwhile, Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya last Thursday remanded the suspect who was arrested in connection with the hand grenade being found in the premises of All Saints’ Church in Borella. The suspect Indika Perera, a resident of Dematagoda, was remanded by the court until 25 January 2022. He has been identified as the fourth suspect in the incident. The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) also informed the court that three other suspects arrested in connection with the incident are being detained and questioned under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA).   The main suspect involved in placing the said hand grenade inside the church has been identified as a 56-year-old who has had connections with the church for nearly 16 years. Reportedly, he had been serving the church and residing at the premises over the past nine months. The investigators have discovered parts of cello tape, matchsticks, and incense sticks, which were used to set up the hand grenade, from inside the main suspect’s living quarters.  Thalduwa last Wednesday said that investigations have uncovered that the main suspect had used a 13-year-old boy, who resides close to the church and frequents the premises, to place the hand grenade. The CCD officers have recorded a statement from the 13-year-old boy in question, after producing him before the Aluthkade Magistrate’s Court. Following the discovery of the hand grenade, four suspects in total were taken into custody over the incident. When contacted by The Morning, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon said that the Police are yet to uncover the reason for the suspect to place explosive material inside the church.