Father Cyril Gamini’s 8 Questions… But where is the evidence?

 

A critical look at the claims following April 2024 when Father Cyril Gamini addressed the media after appearing before the Criminal Investigation Department on 19 April 2024, he presented what he described as “8 facts with sources” relating to the Easter Sunday attacks.

What follows is a systematic evaluation of each claim against known operational facts, intelligence records, and forensic evidence.

 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1106057787267792  (19 April 2024)

 

Take away the rhetoric, and what remains?

Not facts.
Not evidence.
But questions—layered upon assumptions, presented to the public as truth.

 

Let us examine these eight points not emotionally, but logically.

 

If these are “Facts”… Then why are they Questions?

If these are truly facts, then:

• Why is each point framed as a question?
• Why is there no direct attribution?
• Where are the sources he claims to have submitted?

 

A “fact” identifies.
A “fact” proves.
A “fact” withstands scrutiny.

What we have instead are gaps being presented as conclusions.

 

If a jacket in Vavunativu Matters… then where is the Connection to Easter Sunday attacks?

 

If the presence of a jacket near the Vavunativu crime scene is significant—

• How does it identify a mastermind?

 

If no such connection is established, then:

It is not evidence.
It is distraction – A disconnected clue without linkage to the Easter attacks is not evidence—it is noise.

 

More importantly, key individuals already identified in investigations are conspicuously absent from these “questions.”

 

Why wasn’t the name of Milhan mentioned – he was the one who killed the 2 policemen on Zaharan’s instructions, the same Milhan who shot & crippled Taslim for pointing the Wanathavilluwa facility (coordinating secretary of Kabir Hashim). Milhan was a member of the military wing of the SL IS branch. By 2018 Milhan was put in charge of a secret investigation group in August 2018 tasked to get location details on Colombo navy headquarters, Police headquarters and police stations across Colombo.

 

If Zahran needed a “Mastermind”… Why was he running a Nationwide Terror Network?

 

If a hidden mastermind existed, then:

Why was Zahran Hashim already:

• Recruiting
• Training
• Indoctrinating
• Planning
• Coordinating

across multiple districts for years?

Documented Training Footprint (2017–2018)

Evidence shows Zahran personally led or supervised repeated training camps:

• Kattankudy (Eastern Province)
  • indoctrination sessions
  • Weekly IS + Caliphate lectures
• Thashila Holiday Resort (March–May 2018)
  • Multiple camps
• Training on:
  • Explosives
  • Firearms
  • IS ideology
• Shimla area (July–August 2018)
  • 20–40 recruits per session
  • Practical weapons + bomb training
• Nuwara Eliya (October 2018 – Blue Eye Inn)
  • ~20–25 recruits
  • Expansion beyond Eastern Province
• Sippikulama & Wanathawilluwa (2018–2019)
  • Weapons storage
  • Bomb-making
  • Safehouse operations
• Women’s radicalization camp (July 2018)
  • Indoctrinating families of operatives
  • Preparing support ecosystem

 

These are not the actions of a puppet.
These are the actions of a network builder and operational leader.

Structured Military Wing

Zahran didn’t just preach — he built a hierarchy:

• Milhan→ Military operations, assassinations
• Hasthun→ Master bomb-maker
• Jameel→ ISIS facilitator, recruitment, logistics
• Naufer→ Ideological + digital radicalization

 

He even created:

• A“secret investigation unit” (Aug 2018)
• Target mapping:
  • Police HQ
  • Navy HQ
  • Colombo infrastructure

Digital Command & Control

Zahran’s control extended online:

• Facebook sermons calling forjihad and killing non-Muslims
• Telegram group:“Ansar Khilafah” (~200 members)
• Direct ISIS ideological alignment

 

From the FBI affidavit:

• “members of the group used encrypted messaging platforms to communicate with one another and with ISIS operatives”
• “devices… contained communications… linked to ISIS”

 

This is networked terrorism, not mystery control.

 

Logical Conclusion

If a man:

• Trains recruits nationwide
• Builds a command structure
• Procures weapons
• Runs indoctrination pipelines
• Coordinates attacks

 

Then he is not a passive instrument.
He is an operational leader on the ground.

 

If an Email Address is Key… then who used It?

If a foreign intelligence agency identified an IP address or email linked to Zahran Hashim—how is this important to Father Cyril?

 

• email proves only one thing: communication existed.
• It does not prove who was behind Easter Sunday attacks

 

How important is an email to asking questions about why Zaharan was not arrested if even a blue notice by Interpol and arrest by CTID was out from July 2018?

 

Why not ask about how many videos Zaharan posted on facebook – calling for supporters to attack non-Muslims. Throughout 2019 leading to the Easter Attacks Zaharan had posted that he too would die in the name of jihad. On 10 April 2019, SIS head at the National Security Council meeting had referred to Zaharan’s facebook uploads and his revenge on kafirs. Back in March 2017 Zaharan had posted on his facebook that it was mandatory for Muslims to wage jihad.

Instead of asking an email – why didn’t Father Cyril want to question for how long has Zaharan or radicalism been spreading across Sri Lanka. In early 2016 IS had declared Sri Lanka a part of its caliphate. These are open source facts. JMI and Salafi-Wahhabi entities were openly promoting extremism and exclusivism.

 

In fact all the Muslim ministers ganged up against then Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapakse when he said in Parliament that 32 members of 4 families had gone to Syria to fight for ISIS. The Minister was accused of spreading hate speech when flagging these warning signs. The same bandwagon on Muslim MPs united and resigned when Bathurdeen was arrested following Easter Sunday attacks. Maybe everyone has forgotten these facts?

 

The FBI agents affidavit also lists how Zaharan & Co directly addresses electronic communications (including email and online messaging) between Zahran Hashim and his network. Zahran and associates communicated through:

 

• “electronic communications, including email accounts, messaging applications, and social media platforms…”
• “members of the group used encrypted messaging platforms to communicate with one another and with ISIS operatives.” – what this means is that the communication channel was known, traceable, and ideological (ISIS-linked), not some unidentified “external handler using a secret email/IP.”

 

The affidavit explicitly states “Zahran Hashim and others pledged allegiance to ISIS and were in contact with ISIS operatives through electronic means…”

• “digital devices recovered… contained communications, videos, and materials linked to ISIS…”

 

On the issue of accounts (emails/IPs), the affidavit clarifies that:

• “accounts used in furtherance of the conspiracy were accessed by members of the group…
• ”forensic work showed “devices belonging to the attackers contained login credentials, communications, and records associated with these accounts.”

 

Meaning:

• The “email/IP” issue raised by Cyril Gamini isnot mysterious
• The accounts wereoperated by the attackers themselves or their immediate network

 

Critically, the affidavit does NOT assume an unknown third-party handler controlling them or a hidden “mastermind”.

 

Pre-attack coordination was via digital means “the conspirators coordinated logistics, targets, and preparations through electronic communications…” – there is no trace of any shadow operator.

 

Yet Father Cyril wants to know “Who used the IP/email address that maintained constant contact with Zahran?” – if the emails+accounts were used by Zaharans own network, if communications were ISIS-linked and ideologically driven, if devices recovered contained their own credentials and data are all consistent with terrorist cell communication behavior this “mystery email/IP” is a this “mystery email/IP” is not supported by the available forensic evidence.

 

Father Cyril should question the then AG and seek evidence for his grand conspiracy theory.

 

If Father Cyril is implying Investigations were Misled…then who Benefited?

 

If the claim that investigations into Vavunativu killings were misdirected does it prove a conspiracy? Or more of institutional failure?

If the State was orchestrating events – why would it mislead itself?

 

If a Phone call was Received… Then who Called?

If Abdul Latheef Jameel Mohamed received a phone call before his failed attempt—

• Who made the call?
• What was said?
• Where are the call records?

 

Call Detail Records (CDRs), tower dumps, and device forensics would definitively answer this—have these been presented?

 

Why not ask who brought Jameel to the hotel? Who provided his suicide kit? Why was he committing suicide?

 

Exactly who is this Jameel? He was even summoned in April 2018 about propagating IS ideology by the CTID. Jameel had been involved with ISIS since 2014 and established the JMI in 2015. Jameel also had infiltrated the Save the Pearls charity for homeless children with aim to indoctrinate them. Jameel even facilitated recruits to travel to Iraq & Syria to fight for IS. DMI identified him as a religious extremist and placed him under surveillance in December 2016

 

If Intelligence Officers visited a Suspect’s Home… Then is that Not Their Job?

If intelligence officers visited Jameel’s residence—

• Was he not already a known extremist?
• Was he not under scrutiny?

If security agencies follow suspects:

• That is investigation.
• Not collaboration.

 

If we criminalize intelligence work, then:

Are we saying security forces must not monitor suspects?

 

Why should Father Cyril want to have the identities of the intel officers – was this not how the 2002 Millennium City debacle took place when a supposed fake threat on the then PM resulted in divulging the names & details of intel officers that ended up with LTTE killing over 50 of them.

 

Why should Father Cyril want the names of the intel officers?

 

If this was a Hidden Conspiracy… Why were there so many Warnings about Zahran?

 

If the attacks were secretly orchestrated by others—

Why was Zahran repeatedly identified, tracked, and warned about?

The real unanswered question is not who emailed Zahran—but why a known, wanted extremist was not apprehended despite multiple warnings.

Timeline of Ignored Warnings

2014–2016

• Multiple complaints fromSufi groups about Zahran’s extremism
• hate speech, incitement, violence

2016

• Zahran openly:
  • Promotes ISIS
  • Runs Telegram groups
• Intelligence begins monitoring

2017 – Escalation Phase

• March 2017
  • Violent clashes with Sufis
  • Arrests of NTJ members
• June 2017
  • State Intelligence Servicewarns of possible attacks
  • November 2017 (NSC Meeting)
  • Zahran identified as extremist threat

2018 – Operational Build-Up

• INTERPOL Blue Notice issued
• Arrest warrant obtained (CTID)
• Multiple intelligence briefings:
  • Radicalization
  • ISIS links
  • Training camps
• Wanathawilluwa discovery (Jan 2019)
  • Explosives
  • Training evidence

April 2019 – Final Warnings

• 4 April
  • Indian intelligence warns of imminent attack
• 7 April
  • Written intelligence report circulated
• 9–10 April
  • Attack plans discussed internally
• 21 April (morning of attack)
  • Final alert: attacks between 6–10 AM

 

The Real Question or rather the goal is to claim that “someone” in the intel was secretly controlling or facilitating the attacks through intelligence channels.

 

Let’s break this down to the time of the 2019 attacks.

• The supposed “orchestrator or controller” wasnot holding an operational post in Sri Lanka
• The individual wasoutside the country and did not hold a command role
• He hadno access to active intelligence units in the field.

 

To counter this probably the visit to coconut estate was planted!

However, that has to be proved with flight records, telephone calls – simply appearing on a paid documentary and making allegations with blurred visuals is not evidence.

 

If an individual is physically removed from operational control, any claim that they were directing attacks domestically becomes operationally impossible.

The next attempt is to float using “Informant Theory” – this is where the showing one target church in Katuwapitiya comes to play.

Those making the allegations may have overlooked that the suicide bomber operated from a safehouse close to the Church – so he didn’t need somone from overseas calling to inform an intel informant to provide location.

 

If intelligence informants were allegedly used to assist attackers:

• Where are thetasking orders?
• Where is anycommunication trail or reporting link?
• Where are theoperational records?

 

Intelligence operations always leave evidence. Without it, the claim remains pure speculation.

Contradiction in Logic

If the attackers were already under surveillance, and multiple agencies issued repeated warnings about them:

• How could the same system simultaneouslytrack, warn, and allow facilitation?
• The evidence showsmonitoring and warning, not orchestration.

 

What the Pattern actually Shows

The documented pattern indicates:

• Intelligence awareness
• Warnings issued
• Tracking over time

 

This is evidence of a failure to act, not evidence of secret orchestration.

 

Claims of covert facilitation require:

• Operational links
• Verified communications
• Command responsibility

 

Without these, the allegation collapses under its own weight.

 

More importantly, none of these secret sensational stories can remove the fact that

IF:

• Zahran was known
• Zahran was tracked
• Zahran was reported repeatedly

THEN:
The pattern points to intelligence failure or non-action
Not proof of a coordinated hidden conspiracy

 

If the Entire Case Depends on One Man… Then where is his Evidence?

Two of the eight points by Father Cyril rely entirely on claims by Asad Maulana.

So let us ask:

If his claims are true—

• Why did he not testify before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry?
• Why did he not give a statement to the CID?
• Why did he not present sworn evidence?

 

Instead:

His claims appear in a foreign-funded documentary by a notorious channel.

If a man claims knowledge of mass murder but:

• Does not go to the police
• Does not testify under oath
• Does not submit to cross-examination

Then what is his claim worth? – it is not evidence, testimony but narrative.

And if his claims fall—then points 6 & 7 collapse entirely.

Claims not tested under oath remain allegations—not evidence.

 

Next Father Cyril wants to know – If “Abu Hind” Exists… then does it not Suggest Infiltration?

If there was a figure known as “Abu Hind” above Zahran Hashim—

• Who was he?
• Was he an extremist leader?
• Or an infiltrator?

 

As per Rohan Gunaratna’s book Sri Lanka Easter Sunday massacre since early 2018 “a deputy IGP from the intelligence service of Tamil Nadu police, mounted an operation to infiltrate the IS Sri Lanka branch. It was said that undercover officer Abu Hind masqueraded as an IS leader and accessed Zahran through Rilwan”.

 

If foreign intelligence had penetrated Zaharan’s network it indicates surveillance/infiltration not control by local actors.

 

Hope that ends Father Cyril’s Abu-Hind conspiracy.

 

If there was a Mastermind… Where is the Evidence?

 

After all eight points, one question remains:

• Where is the evidence of planning?
• Where is the proof of financing?
• Where is the chain of command?

 

No evidentiary chain has been publicly demonstrated linking any alleged “mastermind” to operational control of the attackers except clear evidence of Zaharan being in control of the ground operations including training and propaganda.

 

Years of investigations have already established:

• A radicalized network led by Zahran Hashim
• Links to ISIS ideology
• Local recruitment, training, and execution
• The most important item is that on 29 June 2014 – Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi leader of ISIS announced a global caliphate and instructed followers to kill non-Muslims in countries where they resided. IS envisaged controlling territories including Sri Lanka by 2020. Sri Lanka was shown on the map as part of the Khorasan province. Zaharan & Co was working towards this goal.

More importantly, the death of Zaharan & Co has not ended that goal.

 

However, if Father Cyril persists that a different mastermind exists – without asking more questions he must produce the evidence of the mastermind – this evidence must be able to link the mastermind to all of the trainings Zaharan had conducted across Sri Lanka, the social media propaganda that foreign intel has with them, the electronic communication and device details that foreign intel has access to which did not disclose any of the names that Father Cyril & Asad Maulana are implying or any grand conspiracy that the outgoing AG during the Easter Sunday infected the minds of people unwilling to accept raw facts.

 

Questions Cannot Replace Proof

In law—and in truth:

• Suspicion is not evidence
• Questions are not proof
• Narratives are not facts

If we begin to accept:

• Unverified claims
• Media statements
• Unquestioned assumptions

 

Then we are no longer seeking truth.

 

The Real Danger

The real danger is not asking questions.

The real danger is:

• Presenting questions as answers
• Suggesting conclusions without proof
• Turning speculation into accusation

 

Because once that line is crossed:

Truth becomes optional.
And justice becomes impossible.

 

If there is evidence—present it.

If there are witnesses—produce them (not fabricating fake evidence – as lies lead to more lies and lies always get caught)

If there is a case—prove it.

 

But until then:

Eight questions remain exactly what they are.

 

Mere Questions.

 

 

 

 

Shenali D Waduge