Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando told court on Thursday that then State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena was also aware of intelligence information and had acted to conceal it, while also testifying that he believed former President Maithripala Sirisena had prior knowledge of the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

Fernando made the statement while giving evidence before a Trial-at-Bar in the case filed against him over alleged negligence in failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings.

He said he believed that Sirisena, who at the time also held the posts of Defence Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, had been aware of intelligence inputs relating to the impending attacks.

The former Defence Secretary further alleged that Jayawardena, then Director of the SIS, was also privy to the information and had acted to suppress it.

Fernando is indicted on charges of criminal dereliction of duty for allegedly failing to act on prior intelligence warnings ahead of the coordinated attacks.

Defending his position in court, he maintained that responsibility for the failure lay elsewhere.

“The President, who was the Defence Minister and head of the armed forces, had left the country. As the most senior official, I have been dragged into this case. If the information I presented had been properly examined, this case would not have been filed against me. Those responsible are still at large,” he told court.