{"id":127582,"date":"2022-08-02T22:19:28","date_gmt":"2022-08-03T04:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=127582"},"modified":"2022-08-02T15:02:10","modified_gmt":"2022-08-02T22:02:10","slug":"questions-for-cardinal-malcolm-ranjith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2022\/08\/02\/questions-for-cardinal-malcolm-ranjith\/","title":{"rendered":"Questions for Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is not only asking questions but making all sorts of wild allegations. Cardinal Malcolm also needs to answer some questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Are you aware that within the course of 3 years the AG\u2019s dept is to file charges against 79. Did such happen to the victims of LTTE over 30 years of LTTE terror?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Are you aware that since May 2009 until April 2019 not a single suicide attack took place until 21 April 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Wasn\u2019t the 21 April 2019 attack made possible as a result of the neglect to national security, closure of intel units & unwarranted arrest of intel officers making security apparatus vulnerable & unattended & open to extremists?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 have you questioned the yahapalana government during whose watch this attack took place & questioned why they neglected national security. Is there a reason why you are not going after the govt in power who was responsible for security when foreign intel had informed them 97 times of an impending attack?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Then PM Ranil Wickremasinghe informed on 22 April 2019 (day after the Easter Sunday bombings) that the Govt was aware of the attacks. Why has he not been questioned?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 on 23 April 2019 President Sirisena admitted lapses in Easter Sunday attacks, what was your response?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 PM Ranil Wickremasinghe declared in a SKY news interview on 26 April 2019 that joining foreign terrorist groups was not against Sri Lankan law. What was your response to this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 PM Ranil on 27th<\/sup> April 2019 apologized for failing to prevent Easter Sunday attacks, what was your response?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Did you ask the yahapalana govt why they ignored 97 foreign intel warnings?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 why did the 8 Islamic extremist suicide bombers choose churches as targets?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 why did the 8 Islamic extremist suicide bombers select 3 hotels & why send 2 suicide bombers to one hotel, while the other 2 hotels were sent only 1 suicide bomber each?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 did you ask the foreign intel teams that arrived immediately after the attacks (FBI, UK Counter Terrorism Police, Interpol) what their investigations revealed since they took away parts of the evidence used by the attacks? How come you omit to question them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 have you tried to find out if National Thowheed Jamaath is connected to foreign countries & their intel & if they were also involved in the Easter Sunday attacks? How come you are avoiding asking this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 have you forgotten the swords found in mosques & homes? Have you asked the Muslim clergy why these swords, detonators and even large numbers of clothes were found hidden all-round the island? Is there a reason why you are not asking this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 do you remember the raid on a house in Thalapitiya Galle on 6th<\/sup> May 2019 where 1000 military uniforms & weapons were found & on 8th<\/sup> May 2019, Rs.3m worth of military uniforms were found in Matale. Have you wondered why anyone would collect military uniforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Former SIS head Nilantha Jayawardena says even diplomats knew about the attacks. Did you inquire what diplomats & did you ask the diplomats?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Former SIS head Nilantha Jayawardena says Harin Fernando knew of the attacks. Did you inquire from Harin Fernando why he didn\u2019t inform you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 have you looked into the 2 US Govt employees who were detected at Hilton Jaic after sniffer dogs found 6 boxes explosives in the apartment on 30 July 2019 & they refused to allow the boxes to be scanned. These boxes had been put into a US embassy vehicle & taken away. Did you look into this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 did you not think it strange why the US envoy Teplitz would say that US had \u2018no prior knowledge\u2019 of attacks would suddenly say on 24 April 2019 that more attacks may happen? Did you question the US embassy on why they did not have prior intel or why Indian intel kept it secret from US intel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 what are your views on ISIS who took responsibility for Easter Sunday attacks & even released pictures of the suicide bombers?  When ISIS has taken responsibility with a public announcement, what makes you think it is not them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ISIS suspect gives advance warning \u2013 Indian<\/p>\n\n\n\n

report http:\/\/www.adaderana.lk\/news.php?nid=54595<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Ruwan Wijewardena on 22 April 2019 said the attack was response to New Zealand mosque killing. Ruwan Wijewardena on 24 April 2019 says attacks were by a \u2018splinter group\u2019 of National Thowheed Jamaath. Have you questioned Ruwan Wijewardena on both these statements?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Have you wondered why Bathurdeens\u2019 brother who was deported from Dubai & arrested by CCD on 25th<\/sup> April 2019? Have you looked into what his connection was with the suicide bombers? What have you found?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 are you also following up on the arrest of Bathurdeen\u2019s coordinating secretary Moh.Zanus on 30 April 2019 Chairman of the Mantai West Cooperative Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcom<\/strong> \u2013 are you also following up on Alahudeen \u2013 uncle of Bathurdeen who is also the ACMC Treasurer. Alahudeen\u2019s daughter was married to suicide bomber Ilham. She died in the Dematagoda house blast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 have you questioned the Negombo Deputy Major who was arrested possessing a sword, dagger & 37 mobile phone batteries?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 did you look into Chandrika Bandaranaike\u2019s statement on 28 April 2019 that Arabic & Madrassas schools are teaching extremism. Did you ask her for evidence or get the authorities to look into this & see how many of them are legal & registered?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 did you not wonder why MP Kadar Masthan would call for a general amnesty for the suspects on 10 May 2019?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 did you wonder why Moh. Nawshad former Wattala-Mahabage Municipal Chairman who was a member of NTJ would flee Sri Lanka on 29 April 2019 \u2013 have you demanded his arrest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 have you kept track of Jamia Manarul Huda Arabic College were mobile phones, books containing activities of LTTE were recovered on 29 April 2019?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 are you following up on MP Dayasiri Jayasekera\u2019s allegation on 29 April 2019 that Muslim Affairs Minister Haleem allowed 400 NTJ mosques to be constructed & who was funding them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 are you also following up on arrest of Kotte Municipal Councillor H M Ali Usman & brother Raja Mohideen Sultan who were all arrested with 3 swords & a knife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 are you also following up on 2 officials of the Easter Province Governor\u2019s office who were arrested with bullets<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 why did Rev. Siril claim on 23 Oct 2021 that the main suicide bomber Zahran Hashim leader of NTJ was given monetary & other support by Sri Lanka\u2019s intel agencies & present head of SIS had links to Zaharan & followers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Rev Siril in March 2021 says the Church is not convinced the Govt was on the \u2018right track\u2019 to identify Easter Sunday architects \u2013 what is the track Rev Siril wants the Govt to take?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Rev Siril in August 2021 says you are mooting \u2018international assistance\u2019 did you & he forget that foreign intel was helping investigations & even took away most of the evidence. Have you both questioned these foreign intel agencies?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 don\u2019t you find it strange that the same people demanding accountability are demanding release of suspects that are arrested? This is no different to the Church campaigning to release protestors who have been unruly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 you head the Church, not the Govt or the Intel\/Police or the AG\u2019s dept. You don\u2019t make the arrests \u2013 they do. You can\u2019t file charges \u2013 the AG\u2019s dept does. You can\u2019t demand people to be released while demanding justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 you demand justice for Easter Sunday, what about the justice for LTTE victims? Would you allow the Govt to conduct investigations into the role of Church links to LTTE? Would you allow action against Church fathers who supported LTTE even running child soldier orphanages & transporting arms in their vehicles?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> now we come to the most difficult questions<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 former SIS head Nilantha Jayawardena says at least 15,000 people knew of an attack on Easter Sunday which included members of Parliament & Diplomatic missions<\/strong> \u2013 have you probed who in Parliament knew, who among the diplomatic missions knew and why none of them did not tell you. After Nilantha Jayawardena\u2019s revelation we have just 2 questions \u2013 did they tell you or didn\u2019t they tell you?<\/strong> If they did, Cardinal Malcolm, you must stand on the dock and answer some serious questions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harin Fernando\u2019s testimony to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on 16 September 2020 corroborates with former SIS head who said that 15,000 people would have known about the attacks before the attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How come you, Cardinal Malcolm was not one of this, 15,000 people who knew of an impending attack?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 MP Harin Fernando is a staunch Catholic. His father Nihal Fernando who was in hospital told him days before Easter Sunday not to go to Church because of a likely attack \u2013 did Harin Fernando tell you of an attack or like how his father got to know, did you & the Catholic Clergy were informed too? <\/strong>Harin Fernando\u2019s father had been informed by Sergeant Nandalal of CID team that visited Pasikudah to arrest Zaharan\u2019s team member \u2018army Mohideen\u2019 to recover explosives in Wanathawilluwa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 After the attacks Harin Fernando had tweeted that IGP had sent an alert by his Deputy Priyalal Dissanayake dated 11 April 2019 regarding Indian intel warnings. These warnings were reissued 2 days before attack & 2 hours before 1st<\/sup> suicide mission on St. Anthony;s Church. Have you questioned Harin Fernando regarding his knowledge of an attack before the attacks?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Harin Fernando claims to have visited Temple Trees before the attacks & shown PM Ranil a letter sent to police officials regarding an impending attack. Don\u2019t you find it odd, that a staunch Catholic like Harin Fernando would visit PM Ranil to show letter but not visit you? Why didn\u2019t he visit you? Did you ask Harin Fernando why he didn\u2019t inform you or show you that letter?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Do you recall an article titled Catholic Church may have had prior knowledge of Easter Sunday attacks \u2013 Harin Fernando\u201d<\/em><\/strong> by Maneshka Borham on Sunday Oberserver 20 September 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2020\/09\/20\/news\/catholic-church-may-have-had-prior-knowledge-easter-sunday-attacks-\u2013-harin-fernando<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some startling revelations in this article. Do you deny what is being implied?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 As per Harin Fernando\u2019s statement to the Commission he insinuates that the Church was aware of the attacks and that was reason why no public mass was held on the morning of 21 April 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was a Public Mass to be held on 21st<\/sup> April 2019 & was it cancelled & if so why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Why did 3 auxiliary Bishops Maxwell Silva, Anton Ranjith & J D Anthony Jayakody issue a statement attempting to deny the insinuation by Harin Fernando   \u2013 this is what they have written<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal has indeed presided over the solemn celebration of the Easter Vigil service at midnight on Saturday 20<\/u><\/strong>th<\/sup><\/u><\/strong>April 2019<\/u><\/strong> <\/strong>which followed wit<\/u>h the Easter Sunday festive mass at St. Lucia\u2019s Cathedral<\/u>, Colombo 13 ending in the early hours on Sunday morning<\/u>\u201d <\/strong>(21\/4\/2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.dailymirror.lk\/front_page\/In-response-to-Harin-Fernandos-statement-Cardinal-Bishops-were-not-made-aware-of-Easter-Sunday-att\/238-196282<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As per this statement the midnight mass on Saturday 20th<\/sup> April 2019 ended on the morning of Sunday 21st<\/sup> April 2019 (Easter SundaY) but it was held not at St. Anthony\u2019s Church but at St. Lucia\u2019s Cathedral which is a distance away from St. Anthony\u2019s Church though both are located in Kotahena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Anthony\u2019s Church is a Shrine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Lucia\u2019s is a Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus the statement of the 3 Bishops doesn\u2019t negate what Harin Fernando insinuated that mass was not held at St. Anthony\u2019s Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 why did the 3 Bishops attempt to negate Harin Fernando\u2019s insinuation when neither midnight mass nor morning mass was held at St. Anthony\u2019s Church?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Is it also not correct that after the early morning mass at St. Lucia\u2019s Cathedral you held a Holy Mass at the Archbishops House & it was only after the news of the attacks that you rushed to the scene? (to arrive from Archbishops House in Colombo 7 to St. Anthonys Church in Colombo 13 \u2013 it taks a good 20 minutes)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 if you were holding a Mass at the Archbishops House in the morning prior to the attacks, doesn\u2019t it mean you had no program to hold mass that morning at St. Anthony\u2019s Church when the attacks happened?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 Another article Sri Lanka Catholic Church forgives\u201d Easter Sunday suicide bombers<\/strong>\u201d appearing on 12 April 2020 quotes Cardinal declaring we offered love to the enemies who tried to destroy us\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are a bit confused Cardinal \u2013 if you can shower love & forgiveness to the men that caused the deaths of 279 innocent people, why are you going behind a conspiracy\u201d without proof but accusing all & sundry when it suits you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wasn\u2019t this why Harin Fernando himself claimed the Catholic Church was engaged in politics in June 2020, three months before he gave a statement to the Inquiry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2020\/4\/12\/sri-lanka-catholic-church-forgives-2019-easter-suicide-bombers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If 97 intel warnings reached at least 15,000 people, it is baffling that yourself & the Church would not have been warned as well. Whether Cardinal or the Church knew but are pretending to have not known lies on their conscience. But the one\u2019s that knew & didn\u2019t do anything to prevent harm to people of the venues that were named are morally culpable for the deaths of 279 people & lifelong injuries to others & grieving families. No amount of pointing fingers can erase this guilt. Their conscience will prick them to their dying days of knowing but choosing not to do anything to prevent it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever we receive the slightest rumor even of a traffic block, we inform our friends and family not to use that route \u2013 it is strange that 97 intel warnings & 15,000 knowing of an attack would not even stop people entering Churches or informing hotel security to increase surveillance. During LTTE heyday apart from one incident to Hotel Oberoi \u2013 even LTTE failed to attack major hotels in the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardinal Malcolm<\/strong> \u2013 you can come up with all sorts of allegations & play politics with Easter Sunday, but you must first respond to deny if you were not one of the 15,000 who were aware of the attacks but did nothing to prevent people entering the Church that fateful day on 21st<\/sup>April 2019 \u2013 when you had the power to do so! The country is facing political and economic issues \u2013 we do not need to add religious politics to it too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shenali D Waduge Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is not only asking questions but making all sorts of wild allegations. Cardinal Malcolm also needs to answer some questions. Cardinal Malcolm \u2013 Are you aware that within the course of 3 years the AG\u2019s dept is to file charges against 79. Did such happen to the victims of LTTE […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127582\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}