New Delhi, Feb 27 (NationPress) The apprehension of Sri Lanka's former Intelligence chief, Retired Major-General Suresh Sallay, marks a significant development in the inquiries surrounding the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which resulted in the deaths of 279 individuals.

This decisive action was initiated by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who assumed the presidency in 2024 with a commitment to ensuring that all individuals implicated in this tragedy would face justice.

Sallay had been appointed as the chief of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) in 2019, following Gotabaya Rajapaksa's election as President.

Accusations against Sallay suggest that he allowed the attack to unfold to sway the outcome of that year's presidential elections, which ultimately favored Rajapaksa.

Previously recognized for his role in dismantling the LTTE, Sallay's arrest has stirred political turbulence, with many fearing a potential resurgence of LTTE-related tensions.

Ali Sabry, the former Sri Lankan Minister for Foreign Affairs, has expressed that these developments are profoundly concerning.

An Indian official indicated that the situation in Sri Lanka is under close surveillance.

When asked whether the LTTE issue might resurface following Sallay's detention, the officer remarked that while efforts are underway, it would prove to be quite challenging.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been actively investigating several cases related to the potential revival of the LTTE.

Moreover, the ISI has sought to facilitate the LTTE's resurgence but has yet to achieve success.

To thwart the revival of the LTTE, both India and Sri Lanka have been collaborating closely.

As articulated by another official, the current relationship with Sri Lanka has transitioned from ideological to an investment-driven partnership.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Dissanayake have developed a pragmatic rapport that has significantly fostered cooperation across various domains, particularly in security.

Although dissenting voices within Sri Lanka challenge Dissanayake's action regarding Sallay, it remains imperative to investigate the Easter Bombing incident from every conceivable perspective.

An official from the Intelligence Bureau has highlighted that one of the primary concerns today is the activities of the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI), the two organizations implicated in this attack.

In particular, the NTJ has established a substantial presence in South India, successfully radicalizing a significant number of youths in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The attack's mastermind, Mohammad Zahran Hashim, frequently visited Tamil Nadu and was instrumental in the radicalization of Jamesha Mubeen, who attempted to detonate a bomb at a temple in Coimbatore in 2022.

Indian authorities are diligently investigating the involvement of Hashim. An NIA inquiry into the radicalization case in South India has revealed that the entire conspiracy was orchestrated by Hashim from Sri Lanka.

At least 50 of the 100 radicalization videos seized by the agency featured discourses by Hashim, who maintained close ties with the Islamic State.

Officials believe that Sallay could provide critical insights to investigators about the network that Hashim operated.

This information would be invaluable for Indian agencies currently probing cases directly connected to the NTJ in South India.

Hashim, who led the suicide bombers during the Easter Bombing, spent a considerable amount of time in India.

Indian authorities aim to ascertain whether any locals Hashim interacted with were aware of the Easter Bombings.

During his time in India, Hashim primarily targeted his radicalization efforts in regions such as Mallapuram, Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari, Ramnathpuram, Vellore, Trichy, and Thirunelveli, as discovered by the NIA investigation.

For now, Pallay has denied any involvement in the Easter Bombings.

Indian officials have refrained from commenting on Pallay and his alleged connections.

Nevertheless, it is crucial that the bombings are thoroughly investigated, as the activities of the NTJ have direct implications for India, particularly in its southern states.