This report analyses a key online narrative shaping Sri Lanka’s socio-political landscape. Using trend monitoring, keyword analysis, and observations of influential pages and channels, it explores how digital conversations emerge, spread, and influence public opinion. As social media increasingly drives civic and political discourse, understanding these narratives is vital for promoting informed engagement, countering harmful content, and strengthening inclusive dialogue in Sri Lanka.
On the morning of 25 February, former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Sri Lanka Police in connection with investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings; the retired Major General was taken into custody in Colombo under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) for questioning.
Sallay, who was appointed Director General of the State Intelligence Service in late 2019 by then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, despite allegations in several media reports including a 2023 investigation by Britain’s Channel 4, which claimed he had prior links to the attackers and allowed the bombings to proceed to influence the 2019 presidential election in Rajapaksa’s favour.
