Accusing suspended police chief Pujith Jayasundera and former defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando of committing "grave crimes against humanity", the Sri Lankan Attorney General on Monday instructed the authorities to charge the duo for their failure to prevent the massive Easter Sunday terror attacks that claimed 258 lives.
Jayasundera and Fernando were suspended by President Maithripala Sirisena for their alleged inaction on the intelligence shared by India, which warned of an impending attack by Islamic militants, and thereby, failing to prevent the serial blasts on April 21.
In a letter to acting police chief Chandana Wickremaratne, Attorney General Dappula de Livera said the duo should be tried for "grave crimes against humanity" for their failure to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings.
De Livera also slammed Wickremeratne for not taking any action against the two as directed earlier on June 27. Wickremaratne's inaction was of a serious nature, he said.
Sirisena had appointed a three-member panel to probe the negligence by the top officials despite the availability of intelligence inputs on the impending attacks.
Both Jayasundera and Fernando have testified before an ongoing parliamentary probe panel on the attacks. Both of them claimed that there was discounting of the seriousness of the threat at the very highest level. Sirisena is the minister-in-charge of defence.