Investigation into Sri Lankan bombing

Question

Senator SHOEBRIDGE: Minister, on 21 April 2019, there were a series of bombings in Sri Lanka which were declared to be terrorist bombings, and they were called the Easter Sunday bombings. Senator Wong: Many churches. Senator SHOEBRIDGE: Indeed, a series of churches was targeted, and there were some 260 people killed. Of those, two were Australians: Manik Suriaaratchi and her little 10-year-old daughter, Alexendria. In February of this year, Sri Lankan police arrested retired major general Suresh Salley, the country's former intelligence chief, for alleged conspiracy in aiding and abetting those Easter attacks. You may or may not remember the history, but soon after those terrorist attacks Rajapaksa announced his nomination for the election on fighting terrorism and fighting violence and was elected in a landslide. Many people look back upon that now as an obscene example of manipulating the political system. Given two Australians, including little ten-year-old Alexendria, were victims-first of all, are you in DFAT aware of these developments in Sri Lanka? That's my first question. Ms Storey: Yes, DFAT is aware of these developments. We're aware of the arrest in February, as you mentioned, but also of the travel ban on former president Rajapaksa that occurred subsequently. Back at the time of those bombings, the AFP provided assistance to Sri Lankan authorities. We would need to check what, if any, ongoing connection there may be, and it may be that that's better answered by the AFP. Certainly we are monitoring those developments very closely, and High Commissioner Duckworth actually attended a commemoration in the cathedral in Colombo this year for those attacks. Senator SHOEBRIDGE: Given two of the victims were Australians-Manik and her daughter-have you sought a formal briefing from the Indonesian government about the circumstances and the investigation so as to satisfy yourself that there is a pathway to justice for these two Australian victims of this obscene attack? Ms Storey: We'll take that on notice in terms of checking with the authorities. Senator SHOEBRIDGE: Given AFP's involvement at the time and given what is on the public record about the former Sri Lankan intelligence chief now being prosecuted for conspiracy about those same events, is Australia reviewing its past connections with that investigation and whether or not there was any involvement with Major General Salley? Ms Storey: We'll have to take that on notice.

Answer

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