"I move about in complete safety."
Chief Justice Silva said he came to make the keynote speech shortly after he finished recording a Buddhist sermon for a television channel.
"I was with some police officers a short while ago who came to the temple and said, 'Sir is there any security that can be offered to you'."
"I asked them in turn, 'Is there any security I can give to you? I am versed in the dhamma. I can safeguard you to some extent'."
"So this is a very safe place. You can move around safely. Don't get carried away by the gruesome pictures. The electronic transmission of pictures has really plagued this country."
Chief Justice Silva had earlier given an order to dismantle permanent road barriers in Colombo to the consternation of authorities.
In January two bombs exploded in Colombo's Fort area at around 7.30 pm with