Colombo, Sep 23 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered a fresh investigation into the April 21 Easter Sunday suicide blasts by appointing a special five-member commission to carry out the probe, local media said on Monday.
The special commission includes judges of the Court of Appeal, the High Court and a retired civil servant.
The government’s information department said in a statement that the commission is expected to conduct a thorough impartial probe and submit its first interim report after three months, Xinhua news agency reported.
The final report and recommendations will be submitted in six months.
The department said that the commission will investigate and inquire into and report to take necessary future legal action on anyone connected to the attacks.
The commission is also tasked to identify persons and organizations who are directly or indirectly connected to the terrorist acts and identify officers and all responsible authorities who failed to prevent the attacks despite having prior information.
A series of bomb explosions occurred in churches and the luxury hotels on April 21 in the island nation which killed over 250 people.
At least 100 suspects have been arrested over alleged links to the attacks and the suspects are currently under the custody of the Criminal Investigations Department and the Terrorism Investigations Department, the police said.
A local radical group named the National Thawheed Jammath, has been blamed for the attacks.
–IANS
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