Colombo: A Sri Lankan parliament official was among six people arrested for their alleged links to the banned Islamist extremist group, National Tawheed Jamaat (NTJ), which carried out the deadly suicide attacks on Easter Sunday, a senior police official said. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said that initially three suspects had been apprehended after a NTJ training facility was discovered at a coconut estate upon a tip-off received by the police.
Gunasekara said the suspects, which included the land owner, were arrested on May 9 and have been remanded until May 24 after being produced before a court. Details pertaining to two more individuals including that of a Kurunegala hospital staffer had emerged following questioning of the three suspects.
Gunasekara said several cheques had been discovered in the possession of the hospital staffer. Following the questioning of the two suspects, police arrested an individual in the Alawathugoda area last Saturday.
This suspect was identified as an employee of the Parliament Hansard Department, Gunasekara said. The man, a father of two, had been employed at parliament over the last 12 years. He has been found to be a main preacher of the NTJ and had conducted NTJ preaching all over the island. He has been put under detention for 90 days for questioning.
Earlier, a school principal and a teacher have been arrested. The Special Task Force made the arrests of 56-year-old principal and the 47-year-old teacher at a school in Ataweerawewa. The suspects have been identified as Noor Mohamed Addu Ul and Ajibul Jabar, residents of Kapugollewa, Horowpathana, Colombo. The police reportedly received information of them having direct ties with the NTJ and the leader Mohamad Sahran Hashim, who carried out the suicide attack on April 21. Nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three three luxury hotels in Colombo. The attack killed over 258 people and injuring over 500 others. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, but the government has blamed the NTJ for the bombings.
Communal riots
Widespread communal riots were followed in apparent retaliation for the attacks which targeted Muslim-owned businesses. Hardline Buddhist groups were blamed for a wave of anti-Muslim riots. Anti-Muslim riots have killed one person and caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and mosques last week. Authorities have arrested over 100 suspected communal rioters. Sri Lankan police reimposed night curfews in vulnerable areas.
Lankan minister Navin Dissanayake said, “These are organised attacks on Muslim business houses and premises.” When asked who was organising the attacks, Navin said: “I think these organisations that Amith Weerasinghe, Dan Priyasad, and Namal Kumara (are heading),” referring to the three Buddhist extremists arrested.
