62 names added to UN-designated terrorist list as Govt. moves on new anti-terror laws

• All 62 individuals suspected to be linked to Easter attacks
• Many identified as members of NTJ and JMI
• Names listed as G’ment moves to bring new anti-terror laws
• New laws to provide provision for temporary restriction orders, collection of biometric data, etc.

The Government has added the names of 62 new individuals, all suspects with links to the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, to the List of Designated Persons under the United Nations Act for terrorism related activities and funding for terrorism.

This includes members of the National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ) and the Jama’athe Milla’athe Ibrahim (JMI), the two groups whose members carried out the deadly attacks in April.

Institutions are required to identify and freeze funds, financial assets or economic resources belonging to those included in the List of Designated Persons. The list was published in the Gazette by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Shantha Kottegoda, who is also the Competent Authority under the UN Regulations Act.

The names of the terror suspect were listed as the Government moves to bring in new anti-terrorism laws.

Last week, Cabinet gave approval to instruct the Legal Draftsperson to draft amending legislation to the existing anti-terror laws or to draft appropriate new legislation as per the proposals submitted by a Ministerial Committee appointed by the Cabinet for the purpose. The joint proposal in this regard was submitted by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tilak Marapana.

The new laws will include provisions for temporary restriction orders, prohibition on encouragement of terrorism in various ways, collection of biometric data, etc. in order to deal with the new dimensions of terrorism.