Sri Lanka troops launch major hunt for Islamists linked to suicide attacks
Sri Lanka’s military launched a major hunt on Saturday (May 25) for remnants of an Islamist group which carried out the Easter suicide bombings that killed 258 people, officials said.
Several Colombo suburbs were targeted by troops using emergency powers on arrests and detentions adopted after the April 21 attacks.
“Special cordon-and-search operations are under way in three areas just outside Colombo,” a military official told reporters.
Similar operations were also carried out in North Western Province, near Colombo, where anti-Muslim riots this month left one man dead and hundreds of Muslim-owned shops, homes and mosques destroyed.
Security forces have arrested scores of suspects in connection with the bombings of three hotels and three churches and over what appeared to be organised violence against the island’s Muslim minority.
While authorities say the immediate jihadist threat has been blunted, President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday extended for one month the 30-day state of emergency imposed after the suicide bombings.
Sirisena said the move was to maintain “public security”, with the country still on edge after the attacks on three hotels and three churches that were blamed on a local jihadi group, the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ).
The Islamic State group has also claimed a role in the attacks.
Christians make up 7.6 percent and Muslims 10 percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, the independent Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka accused police of failing to prevent the anti-Muslim riots after the bombings.
“There appeared to be no preventive measures taken although retaliatory violence against the Muslim communities was a distinct possibility after the terror attacks of April 21,” the HRCSL said in a letter to acting police chief Chandana Wickramaratne.
The commission faulted the police for releasing suspects who were later seen taking part in attacks on Muslim targets. It said there was political interference to free some suspects.
“As soon as they (the suspects) were released, the mob attacked all Muslim owned shops in Kuliyapitiya town during the curfew and went on to attack shops all the way to Rambawewa,” the commission said.
It acknowledged that police could not have controlled the mobs on their own, but they had failed to arrange reinforcements from security forces.
“Ensure that no undue political or other external interventions are tolerated, and that strict legal action be taken against those who obstruct police officers from performing their duties,” the commission said.
(AFP)
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I do not see any use in such such operations. Military catch suspected terrorists and hand over to police. Police set them free. In some cases grass-root level culprits are under police custody but top politicians are still at large!
Of course Amarakoon,
Understand your frustration.
Please, this is the culmination of 70 years of Sinhala Buddhist governance of our emerald isle.
Nice to meet you again my respected friend T. Somasundaram. I know you are allergic to Sinhala Buddhists. Forget about 70 years! Take Yaha Palanay from January 2015. TNA is a part and parcel of it. What is TNA doing with a Sinhala Buddhist government supporting it with JVP and Muslim Congress!
Amarakoon,
TNA is helping the Sinhala Buddhists to maintain democracy.
If TNA step away, the Blue Brothers Robber Barons will resume action.
Mr. Hypocrite T. Somasundaram, tell me the past 4 years is not part of your 70 years of Sinhala Buddhist governance! In that regime TNA (with Muslim Congress & JVP) is an active partner. We know what kind of a D.M.O. Crazy it is? I know you guys are afraid the Blue Brothers!!
Amarakoon,
The Blue Brothers, the Green Brothers, the Red brothers and the latest addition, Pohottu Brothers, they are all the same.
The Sinhala Buddhist leaders are only good at one thing; and that is milking the Nation to steal national wealth.
That’s what been going on for 70 long years.
Yes Mr. T. Somasundaram, TNA (Tamil Hindu/Christian) brothers are helping Sinhala Buddhist brothers to milk the nation unconditionally. You admitted they are doing this to stop Blue brothers coming to power because he defeated LTTE terror war.
TNA is helping minority Green Government to remain in power to protect the valuable commodity known as DEMOCRACY.
So, Mr. T. S’sundaram, Can we come to a conclusion that TNA (Hindu & Christian Tamils) governing the Country with Sinhala Buddhists from 2015 to preserve D.M.O. Crazy in Sri Lanka. With that democracy SL became one of the Top countries rated for corruption.
Amarakoon,
You have all rights to come to any conclusions that you may wish.
We respect your rights to do so.
The Tamils will continue helping Yahapalana to maintain a semblance of sanity in our land.
Thank you Mr. T. S’sundaram, You are well come. We will see hope TNA vote the NCM against Hon. Badudeen joining hands with JVP/UNP & SLMC to maintain (in)sanity in Sri Lanka!