Another Church Attack To Be Swept Under Carpet – HC Judge Pressures Church Attack Victims To Settle With BBS Gnanasara

July 13, 2013 

A criminal case filed after an attack on the morning of June 6, 2008 on a church (Malabe Calvary Christian Center) by a Buddhist fundamentalist mob including the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence of the Rajapaksa regime backed Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Secretary Galagoda-atte Gnanasara Thero was taken up recently in the Colombo High Court.

Galaboda-atte Gnasara Thero

The way in which the case is progressing has caused serious concern at a seeming attempt to sweep the crimes of the mob under the carpet, when High Court judge Shiran Goonaratne urged the parties to arrive at a settlement of the case, which would prevent the possibility of a conviction of mob members, including the BBS Secretary. This was after one Roshan Henricus, an eye-witness had stated in the court, that he identifiedGalagoda-atte Gnanasara Thero and several others who were part of the extremist mob.

The witness also gave evidence that Galagoda-atte Gnanasara Thero, who led a mob of around 700 people, claimed that he has destroyed 22 churches.  The centre had been attacked and damaged.                        Read More