Did Gotabaya Rajapaksa Use His Own Fake Muslim Extremist Group to Carry Out the Easter Sunday Attack?
As the government investigates former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's alleged involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, a politically charged theory suggests he orchestrated the bombings to propel himself into power—but what does the evidence actually show?
On April 21, 2019, 269 innocent people lost their lives when suicide bombers targeted three churches and three luxury hotels across Sri Lanka. Seven years later, the nation is still grappling with a devastating question: Was the worst terrorist attack since the end of the civil war a calculated political conspiracy?
The current government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made the investigation of the Easter attacks a cornerstone of its mandate. On June 3, 2026, a travel ban was imposed on former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, signaling that he is now squarely in the crosshairs of investigators . But the claim that he personally created, funded, and directed a "fake" extremist group requires careful examination against the available evidence.
The "Mastermind" Allegations: What Investigators Are Saying
The most explosive allegations have emerged from the ongoing court proceedings before the Colombo Fort Magistrate. On May 20, 2026, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peeris made several dramatic claims:
Suresh Sallay as Alleged Orchestrator: The prosecution has identified Major General (retired) Suresh Sallay, the former head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) under Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as the "main mastermind" behind the alleged conspiracy and the principal individual who executed the "contract" connected to the Easter Sunday bomb attacks .
The Prison Meeting Allegation: The ASG alleged that after the Easter Sunday attacks, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, and Namal Rajapaksa visited the Batticaloa Prison to meet former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan. The court was told that Pillayan was allegedly informed during the meeting that he would be released within a week after Gotabaya Rajapaksa became President .
Sallay's Alleged Role with Zahran's Group: According to the prosecution's submissions, based on statements from key witness Azad Maulana, extremist leader Zahran Hashim and members of his group maintained links with Pillayan and Sallay while detained in prison. The ASG further alleged that Sallay arranged legal assistance and bail for certain extremist suspects using military intelligence funds and financially supported members of the suicide bombing network until the attacks were carried out .
The Witness: Azad Maulana's Channel 4 Allegations
Much of the current investigation stems from a Channel 4 "Dispatches" documentary aired in September 2023. In that program, Azad Maulana, a former aide of TMVP leader Pillayan, made several remarkable claims :
He said he arranged a meeting between Suresh Sallay and members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) in 2018
He alleged that the April 2019 bombings were carried out to create a climate of fear to facilitate Gotabaya Rajapaksa's election as president
He claimed that after the meeting, "Suresh Sallay came to me and told me the Rajapaksas need an unsafe situation in Sri Lanka, that's the only way for Gotabaya to become president"
The Defence: Denials and Counter-Claims
Major General Suresh Sallay has vehemently denied these allegations. In a letter to Channel 4, he called the allegations "outright false" and denied any contact with the individuals who spoke to the film-makers. He stated he was not in Sri Lanka on the dates the alleged contact with the bombers was made .
Sallay's wife, Manori Sallay, has publicly expressed fears for her husband's life, claiming his detention is "driven by a personal vendetta and minus any credible evidence against him" . The family has pointed to CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekera, alleging a personal grudge against Sallay stemming from a leaked audiotape.
The Presidential Commission of Inquiry: What Was Actually Found
It is crucial to note that the official Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI), which submitted its report in January 2021, did not conclude that Gotabaya Rajapaksa orchestrated the attacks. The PCOI instead identified massive intelligence failures by the then-government (the Yahapalana administration), concluding that the "root cause behind this tragedy was the inefficiency on the part of the Yahapalana government" .
The Commission found that specific warnings from Indian intelligence were received but not acted upon. However, it did not find evidence of a conspiracy by the Rajapaksa camp to carry out the attacks.
The Zahran Hashim Question: Extremist or Asset?
Your claim that Zahran Hashim was a "fake" extremist created by intelligence agencies is not supported by verified evidence. Multiple sources indicate Zahran was a genuine radical figure whose ideology was shaped by Salafi-Wahhabi texts . He was known to authorities as early as 2018 and had been arrested for vandalizing Buddhist statues.
Professor Rohan Gunaratna, Director General of the Institute of National Security Studies, has stated there is "no concrete evidence to prove that National Thawheed Jamath (NTJ) leader, Zahran Hashim... had met intelligence operatives" . Gunaratna noted that he had studied Zahran's wife's extensive statements to the PCOI, totaling over 400 pages, and found no mention of such meetings.
Regarding funding, Gunaratna has stated that most of the NTJ's funding came from the two Ibrahim brothers—wealthy spice traders—not from non-Muslims or government sources .
Political Motivation: Did the Attack Benefit Rajapaksa?
Academic research has confirmed that the Easter Sunday attacks had a measurable political impact. A study published by the University of Kelaniya concluded that "the public's disappointment towards the former government in light of its failure to guarantee the national security prior to Easter attacks was an incentive towards Gotabhaya's victory" in the November 2019 presidential election .
However, a political benefit does not equate to political orchestration. The collapse of the tourism industry and fears of further attacks created an environment where a "strongman" candidate promising security had an electoral advantage. This is a tragic reality of the attack's aftermath, not evidence of conspiracy.
Truth Still Awaits
The ongoing investigation under President Dissanayake's government represents the most serious attempt yet to determine whether there was a political conspiracy behind the Easter Sunday attacks. The arrest of Suresh Sallay and the travel ban on Gotabaya Rajapaksa indicate that investigators believe there is a case to answer.
However, the specific claim that Gotabaya Rajapaksa personally created a "fake" Muslim extremist group and directed the bombings that killed 269 people remains unproven in any court of law or official commission. It exists as an allegation—one that is being actively investigated but has not been substantiated.
The families of the victims deserve accountability. Whether that accountability comes through proving a vast political conspiracy or through prosecuting the intelligence failures that allowed the attack to happen, the truth must ultimately prevail.