Who is Suresh Salley?
Suresh Salley has served as the Director of Military Intelligence of the Sri Lanka Army and later as the head of the State Intelligence Service. Holding the rank of Major General, he is now retired. He joined the Sri Lanka Army in or around 1987 and, from 1993 onwards, served attached to Military Intelligence. In 2012, he was appointed Director of Military Intelligence, a position he held until 2016.
After that, he served at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Malaysia and later spent time in India. Following the presidential election of November 16, 2019, when Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected President, Salley was appointed Director of State Intelligence. He was removed from that position after Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected President in the September 21, 2024 presidential election.
Arrest Over Easter Sunday Attacks
On the 25th, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested him on suspicion of planning and aiding the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. Further investigations are being conducted under a detention order issued under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The Aluthgama–Dharga Town Incident
While Salley was serving as Director of Military Intelligence, tensions arose between Sinhalese and Muslims in Aluthgama and Dharga Town in June 2014. The incident began with allegations that two Muslim men had assaulted a Buddhist monk. A complaint was lodged with the police.
Various organizations raised their voices over the incident, and Bodu Bala Sena organized a special rally. Although local police initially opposed the rally, permission was eventually granted.
On Friday afternoon, a procession passed in front of a mosque together with the assaulted monk. The situation escalated seriously, resulting in Muslim shops being set on fire, a shooting, and several deaths. To date, no one has been arrested in connection with the shooting.
A group allegedly involved in the arson attacks was arrested under the instructions of then Deputy Inspector General Indra in charge of Kalutara District. They were reportedly members of the security forces and were being prepared to be produced before court. However, they were suddenly released on orders from higher authorities. The Deputy Inspector General had recorded notes regarding this and later gave a statement to the Police Special Investigation Unit.
Religious leaders, lawyers including Ali Sabry, Hejaaz Hizbullah, Shiraz Noordeen, journalist N.M. Ameen, other Muslim community representatives, and several security officials gathered in Aluthgama for discussions. Suresh Salley also participated. During the discussion, lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah alleged that intelligence agencies were behind the Dharga Town incidents. A heated exchange occurred between Salley and Hizbullah, after which Hizbullah was removed from the discussion following Salley’s intervention.
The Disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda
On January 24, 2010 (two days before the January 26 presidential election), senior journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda disappeared. Eknaligoda was known for creating and publishing the “Rajapaksa family tree,” which allegedly had a decisive impact on the 2015 presidential election.
At the time, Deputy Minister Arundika Fernando and former Attorney General Mohan Peiris claimed that Eknaligoda had not disappeared but was living abroad. When summoned to court, they stated that they had heard this from a friend, but they failed to present any credible evidence.
During the 2015 “Yahapalana” government, the CID began investigating Eknaligoda’s disappearance. Telephone analysis reports received significant attention, revealing possible intelligence connections. Attempts to investigate these links were allegedly obstructed by Salley, who was then head of Military Intelligence. Assistant Superintendent of Police Shani Abeysekara informed the Homagama Magistrate’s Court about this. Salley was summoned and warned by the court to cooperate with investigations, but he allegedly failed to do so.
As investigations progressed, a major media campaign suddenly emerged claiming that Eknaligoda was linked to the LTTE.
However, based on investigations using information from ten government institutions, the CID officially informed the Homagama Magistrate’s Court that journalist Eknaligoda had no connection to LTTE terrorism and that no legal action had been taken against him through any institution.
Despite this, Military Intelligence publicly made serious allegations that Eknaligoda had taken money from the LTTE and helped hide suicide bomb kits. Allegations were also made that files related to the incident at the Giritale Military Intelligence camp had been concealed.
Transfer to Malaysia
In late 2016, several civil organizations, including the National Movement for a Just Society, held a press conference alleging that the Director of Military Intelligence was involved in an anti-state conspiracy. Consequently, then President Maithripala Sirisena removed Salley from his post in November 2016. Around December 1, 2016, he departed for official duties at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Malaysia.
He returned to Sri Lanka around November 4, 2017, and left again later that month.
In December 2018, Salley returned to Sri Lanka. On January 3, 2019, he left again for India, reportedly to attend a course. Around that same period (December 24–26, 2018), Buddha statues were vandalized in Mawanella and surrounding areas. Investigations were launched under the direction of Deputy Inspector General Palitha Siriwardena in charge of Kegalle District.
The investigations revealed that a man named Zahran was connected to the vandalism. However, for reasons unknown, investigators did not report to court that Zahran was involved.
Jameel’s Story
Asad Maulana, secretary to Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan), has stated that on the day of the Easter Sunday attacks, Salley telephoned him and asked him to take in Jameel. Jameel was the bomber who went to detonate a bomb at the Taj Hotel but did not detonate it for some reason. He later went to the Dehiwala–Ebenezer area, where Asad Maulana’s house is located.
Video evidence reportedly shows Jameel holding a mobile phone, which later went missing. It has been revealed that Military Intelligence had been closely monitoring Jameel.
Salley’s Testimony Before the Presidential Commission
Before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday attacks, Salley admitted that members of the Thowheed Jamaath organization and members of Bodu Bala Sena had been brought together for discussions.
Evidence was presented that Abdul Razik, leader of Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamaath, and Salley had visited the office of Senior Deputy Inspector General Anura Senanayake.
During questioning by the Attorney General’s Department, Salley acknowledged that Eastern intelligence chiefs had provided information about Zahran. He also stated that intelligence officers had been present within the bombers’ groups.
The Third DNA Report on Sara
After Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected President in 2019, Salley was appointed head of State Intelligence. He later intervened in overseeing Easter attack investigations.
It has been alleged that Salley pressured authorities to conduct a third DNA test regarding Pulastini Mahendran, also known as Sara Jasmine. Statements confirming this have reportedly been given by CID officers who were serving at the time.
Sara was the wife of Hasthun, the Katuwapitiya church bomber. It has been revealed that she converted from Hinduism to Islam at Abdul Razik’s mosque.
It is alleged that Salley was strongly interested in confirming Sara’s death. He reportedly even visited the Government Analyst’s Department regarding the third DNA report. Subsequently, then Police Media Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa announced publicly that Sara had died. However, CID investigators have not officially confirmed this.
When these facts are considered collectively, it becomes clearer how the arrest of Suresh Salley could become a decisive factor in Sri Lankan politics.
If you would like, I can also provide a more polished investigative-article version suitable for publication.