Two more NTJ and JMI members arrested in Ampara

Police have arrested two more suspected members of National Thowheed Jama’ath (NTJ) and Jama’athe Millathu Ibrahim (JMI), who are believed to have received training with Easter attacks mastermind Zahran Hashim.

The suspects were arrested in Ampara based on information provided by the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Police said in a statement on Tuesday. 

One of the suspects, Muhammadu Abdul Rahman, who is identified by the alias ‘Abu Anas’, is a resident of Wattegama in Polgolla while the other, Seynul Abdeen Hapsal, identified as ‘Abu Rawa’, is from Kondeniyagoda in Mawanella.

‘Abu Anas’ had allegedly received weapons training with Zahran at the camp in Nuwara Eliya while ‘Abu Rawa’ was trained at the Hambantota camp.

Acting on the tip-offs given by the State Intelligence Service, the Crimes Prevention Unit of Ampara Police Division has so far arrested a total number of 17 suspects linked to NTJ and JMI.