A panic-stricken government has decided to put in place unprecedented security for church services at Good Fruday and Easter Sunday on March 29 and 31 following a confession made by former President Maithripala Sirisena to police that he knew the name of the mastermind behind the massacre of more than 250 worshippers on Easter Sunday of 2019.
Sirisena was the President when bombers said to be Muslim radicals walked into three Churches and two high profile tourist hotels and detonated bombs that took the death toll to more than 270.
What was thought to be a religious massacre at the time has now turned into a political slaughter that led to a change of government.
National Security Minister Tiran Alles said he issued orders to the Inspector General of Police who in turn has notified all police stations islandwide to deploy armed personnel at churches with the backing of the armed forces.
Unlike last year and the years that followed the Easter Sunday bombings, security at churches was not provided on a large scale as it would be this year after Sirisena dropped his latest bombshell.
Sirisena has also come in for heavy criticism over his latest outburst with some lawmakers saying he should be tried for Treason for concealing information related to terrorism while others claim his confession could be used to garner votes at October’s Presidential election.
“We cannot go on like this treating the Easter Sunday bombings like a beggar’s festering wound which could be a rallying cry at the election,” said Opposition lawmaker Champika Fernando.
Meanwhile churches in and around Colombo said they would also be deploying their own security and have told worshippers to refrain from entering the premises carrying bags and other accompaniments that can raise suspicions.
Amid the fears of another security lapse police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said they were awaiting for instructions from the Attorney General to follow any leads provided by Sirisena during question by police sleuths on Monday.
