The wife of a former Sri Lankan intelligence chief has accused the country's Criminal Investigation Department of harassing her family, days after her husband was arrested for allegedly directing the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
Allegations of Intimidation
In a letter sent to the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses on Saturday, Manori Sallay complained of threats to her son and daughter from continued CID surveillance. According to the letter, her children were followed by a CID official after visiting their father, who is currently hospitalized.
"I've been informed by my children that upon leaving the hospital premises, a CID officer has entered the lift with them and appeared to follow them. When the children got into their vehicle, they observed the same man standing nearby to take their photos," she said, terming the incident as alarming.
"These actions appear calculated to intimidate, harass and create fear and anxiety in my children and me," she added.
Background of the Case
Suresh Sallay, a retired major general and former chief of the State Intelligence Service, was arrested on February 25 as part of a reopened investigation into the terror attacks of April 21, 2019. He is among the most senior former security officials to be detained in connection with the attacks.
The Easter Sunday bombings were a series of coordinated suicide attacks on churches and luxury hotels that killed 269 people, including foreign nationals, and wounded hundreds more.
Allegations of Torture
Sallay was transferred to a hospital earlier this month after a letter addressed to the inspector general of police by his wife alleged that the former intelligence chief was subjected to “torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.”
