Govt leaders can't claim they didn't know - Dinesh

Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) Leader Dinesh Gunawardena lashed out at the Government for its failure to prevent the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, scoffing at claims that its leaders were unaware of intelligence reports in the days leading up to the attacks.

By Sandun Jayawardana

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Gunawardena noted that both the Prime Minister and State Minister of Defence are leaders of the Government and could not claim ignorance of advance warnings about an impending attack.

"We have never in our history, ever had a Prime Minister who claimed he did not know. How can he say he didn't know? You admitted that information (of attacks being planned) was available from April 4. There was information about this group from 2016, when the PM was in the National Security Council," Mr Gunawardena remarked.

Mr Gunawardena said he was saddened to see his classmate, the PM, reduced to such a bankrupt situation. "A Royalist should stand up, not just dodge away and run," he quipped.