President asked to share Easter Sunday attacks probe reports

The Catholic Bishops Conference has asked president Ranil Wickremesinghe to share copies of the investigation reports into the Easter Sunday terror attacks

“since it is the first time this information is revealed in public.”

In a letter to the president, Catholic Bishops referred to Wickremesinghe’s claim in an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle that foreign investigation agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, British police, the secret services of Australia, India, Pakistan, and China had given their reports on the attacks.

It also pointed out that his stand of “only dealing with Catholic Bishop Conference, not with Cardinal” undermines the “collegiality” of the collective body comprising bishops of 12 dioceses and three auxiliary bishops in the county.

“It should be noted that the cardinal being the Archbishop of Colombo is not ‘sui generis’ [existing alone] but an integral and most vital member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka.”

“Hence, any reference to the Cardinal by Your Excellency in a singular manner undermines the collegiality of the conference,” the letter said.