Police release list of suicide bombers

Police yesterday released the identities of the nine suicide bombers involved in the Easter Sunday attacks, and said that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was taking steps to freeze the assets of those identified as being involved.

According to the Police, the two Shangri-La Hotel suicide bombers were identified as Mohamad Cassim Mohammad Zaharan (Kudaikaran Lane, Muhideen Mosque Road, Kaththankudy 3) and his wife and child survived the clashes in Kalmunai last Friday, but his father and two brothers were killed. The other attacker was Mohammad Ibrahim Illham Ahmed (Mahawila Gardens Baseline Road, Dematagoda). The Cinnamon Grand Hotel bomber was his brother Mohammad Ibrahim Inshaf Ahmed (Mahawila Gardens, Baseline Road, Dematagoda).

Illham and Inshaf were brothers, and their father Mohamad Yusuf Mohamad Ibrahim and two brothers have been arrested. Inshaf’s wife has also been arrested.

Known as the sons of the wealthy spice trader, the family’s assets will be frozen by the CID. Investigators are working to freeze the assets under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and legislation passed to prevent funds to terror organisations, Police said.

The Kingsbury Hotel attacker was named as Mohamad Assam Mohammad Mubarak (New Moor Street, Colombo 12 and Bandaranayake Mawatha Colombo 12). His wife has been arrested by police.

The St. Sebastian Church attacker was identified as Achchi Mohammad Hasthun (A.F.C. Road, Valachcheni, Jaffna). His wife Sarah, who was among six men and women the police sought public assistance to find, is believed to have died in the Sammanthurai, Kalmunai clashes last Friday.

The St. Anthony Kochchikade attacker was Alludeen Ahmad Muwath (121/3 Central Road, Mutwal). The Kochchikade church attacker’s brother has also been taken into custody, and police said they had found he had assisted Muwath to carry out the attack.

The Zion Church bomber was named as Mohammad Nazar Mohammad Azad (Kanatte Road, New Kattankudy) and the Tropical Inn bomber was Dehiwala Abdul Latheef Jamil Mohammad (Wellambada, Gampola and Lansiyawatta, Wellampitiya). The latter is reported to have belonged to a wealthy family from Kandy, and his wife as well as her two brothers have been arrested.

The Dematagoda bomb blast was triggered by Fatima Illham (Mahawila Gardens, Dematagoda), who was the wife of Illham Ibrahim who carried out the Shangri-La bomb blast.

“DNA identifications are being carried out on all these people. Assets of these people have already been identified, and the CID is taking steps to freeze their assets under local money laundering laws,” Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

In continuing search operations in Kalmunai, Sammanthurai and surrounding areas, two revolvers and a rifle, along with 200 detonators, water gel explosives, and live bullets had been found. Curfew, which began on Friday, was re-imposed by police on Wednesday night. Police are continuing to put together a special security plan for schools, which are expected to start on Monday, and will continue to provide religious places with additional security.

(Source: Daily FT)