A fresh political storm is unfolding in Sri Lanka after explosive allegations that the country’s current Justice Minister once served as legal counsel for Easter Sunday attacks suspect Zahran Hashim, reigniting debate about national security, accountability, and public trust in governance.
National Freedom Front leader and Member of Parliament Wimal Weerawansa has alleged that Sri Lanka’s current Justice Minister, Harshana Nanayakkara, previously acted as legal counsel for Zahran Hashim, the extremist figure widely identified as the mastermind behind the devastating 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
Speaking at a public rally in Ratnapura, Weerawansa told supporters that Nanayakkara had traveled to Batticaloa in the past to represent Hashim in legal proceedings. The opposition parliamentarian described the development as troubling, arguing that placing the country’s justice portfolio in the hands of a lawyer who once defended the alleged architect of one of Sri Lanka’s deadliest terrorist attacks raises serious ethical, political, and governance questions.
The Easter Sunday attacks of April 2019 targeted churches and luxury hotels across Sri Lanka, killing more than 250 people and injuring hundreds. The coordinated suicide bombings shocked the nation and the international community, exposing deep failures in intelligence coordination and triggering major reforms in Sri Lanka’s national security and counterterrorism framework. Even years later, the tragedy remains a deeply sensitive subject in public discourse.
Weerawansa acknowledged that within any legal system every suspect has the right to legal representation. However, he argued that elevating a former defense lawyer of Zahran Hashim to the role of Justice Minister creates a perception challenge for the government and raises doubts about its commitment to justice, accountability, and national security.
The MP also contrasted the alleged background of the Justice Minister with what he described as the mistreatment of intelligence officials who played critical roles in protecting the country. He specifically mentioned retired Major General Suresh Sallay, praising his contributions to national security and suggesting that officials like him have faced undue pressure despite their service.
Expanding his criticism further, Weerawansa accused the current administration of weakening intelligence institutions and security forces. He claimed these policies may be aimed at appeasing elements within the LTTE diaspora. The legacy of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam continues to remain a politically sensitive issue in Sri Lanka’s post war environment today.
