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In the two weeks following the Easter Sunday terror attacks, the country has returned to normalcy, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe confirmed to Parliament, saying that this was due to swift, competent and wide-ranging decisions taken by the Government. Making a special statement in Parliament, the Prime Minister outlined the sweeping security measures taken to capture dozens of people linked to the attacks, restore normalcy, and provide support for industries affected by the attacks.
Reiterating that this was due to the quick and competent response from the Government, he nonetheless acknowledged that Sri Lanka would have to improve its capacity to deal with global terror, and could not completely rule out the possibility of another attack.
Based on a report obtained from the Inspector General of Police, the Prime Minister held no incidents were reported that would threaten the schools started or the regular religious ceremonies taking place. “Public transport and businesses have reached normalcy. People are getting on with their normal routines with the curfew being removed. However, based on the information received from ongoing investigations, checking is carried out in different police divisions. The investigations on terrorism are still underway,” held the Prime Minister, reading out the report obtained from the IGP.
Outlining the intelligence reports on some Sri Lankans joining Islamic State since 2014 in Syria, the Prime Minister held many others have migrated to Iraq and Syria with Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi declaring an Islamic State on 29 June 2014.
“Mohamad Musin, Ishaq Ahmad, Mohomad Unasin, Mohomad Ameen, Mohomad Suwair, and Mohomad Aroos were reported to have joined the IS in Syria by going through Turkey. Some have returned to Sri Lanka after weapons training. Mohomad Ibrahim Sadiq Abdul Haq, now in custody, received weapons training in Syria in 2014. The Dehiwala suicide bomber, Abdul Lathief Mohomad Jameel, had gone to Turkey in 2014 with hopes to join IS and returned to Sri Lanka. The parents of the first Sri Lankan who was killed after joining IS was Mohomad Musin Safras Nilam. His elderly parents have travelled with him to Syria on 15 January 2015 via Turkey. These parents who were in Syria returned to Sri Lanka on 29 January 2016. They are closely monitored by the intelligence community,” he added, tabling a report received from the IGP.
Reading the last paragraph of the report, the Prime Minister held that the CID had deployed eight teams to investigate the attacks. These teams have taken Mohomad Ibrahim Mohomad Naufer, who is believed to have been appointed to succeed the group who perished during the attack at Shangri-La Hotel, Yousuf Mohomad Ibrahim, Mohomad Ibrahim Ijaz Ahmad, Mohamad Rahim Mohomad Sajith, and 52 others so far in connection with the attacks, and they were now being questioned by the CID.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe also stated that he has requested a report from the IGP on the higher education centre in Batticaloa.
“Rs. 1 million will be paid in compensation for those who died and Rs. 500,000 for those who got injured from these attacks. The Cabinet has approved to pay for the properties damaged. As a result, we have paid the basic compensation for the 102 died and 40 injured at the Katuwapitiya blast. We have taken all possible measure to bring back normality. We have opened schools yesterday. Most churches and mosques started their prayers. But we all should remember that the issues are not completely finished, as we are a target of global terrorism,” he added.
According to Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka should join hands with the global community to eradicate terrorism by sharing information. “We are in the process of introducing the Counter-Terrorism Act. Many countries helped us to defeat the LTTE. But we will need more help to defeat global terrorism. Some provide wrong interpretations when seeking foreign help. It is not bringing in foreign forces to Sri Lanka. We will bring state-of-the-art technology to Sri Lanka. We will not allow the terrorist to destroy the country,” he added. (AH)
