Prior Information on Possible Attacks Was Available With Authorities But “Neither I nor Ministers Were Kept Informed” Says Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Statement Deflecting Blame Deftly on President Sirisena.
By Meera SrinivasanThe government ordered an immediate nationwide curfew “until further notice”, and a “temporary” social media ban.
Prior information on possible attacks was available with Sri Lankan authorities ahead of blasts, but “neither I nor the Ministers were kept informed,” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Sunday.
While it was important to probe why adequate precaution had not been taken, the urgent task ahead was to stabilise the situation in the country, he told media persons at a late evening press conference at Temple Trees, the PM’s official residence located a couple of blocks away from Cinnamon Grand, one of the Hotels targeted in Sunday’s coordinated blasts.
Three “Guests” With Identical Name and Same National Identity Card Number Registered at Shangri-La, Grand Cinnamon and Kingsbury Hotels in Colombo Where Explosions Took Place on Easter.
Daily FT learns this information had been revealed during a high level industry meeting with Tourism Minister John Amaratunga yesterday. The meeting also discussed other findings via CCTV in the respective hotels.
An AFP report quoted one of the hotels saying that a man by the name Mohamed Azzam Mohamed had registered.
Bomber who Registered at Cinnamon Grand Hotel Under the Name of “Mohammed Azzam Mohammed” Queued up Patiently for Easter Sunday Breakfast Buffet at Hotel’s Taprobane Restaurant Before Triggering off Explosives Strapped to His Back.
Carrying a plate, the man, who had registered at the hotel the night before as Mohamed Azzam Mohamed, was just about to be served when he set off his devastating strike in the packed restaurant, a manager at the Sri Lankan hotel said.
“There was utter chaos,” said the manager, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity as he is not allowed to speak for the company.