Police fail to find ISIS links to four Lankans arrested in India

Police Spokesperson DIG Nihal Thalduwa yesterday said local investigators have failed to find any links between the terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and four suspects of Sri Lankan origin arrested in India on terrorism-related charges. 

The arrested identified as Mohamed Nushran, Mohamed Nafran Nowfer, Mohamed Rasdeeen Abdul Raseem and Mohamed Faris Mohamed Farook were arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on 20 May in Ahmedabad, India. The Indian Authorities have accused the four of planning to carry out an attack on Indian soil and having links to ISIS leaders in Pakistan.

Abdul Hameed Amir, a close associate of Rasdeen and Faris has also been apprehended by the Sri Lanka Police for interrogation. 

However, despite the Sri Lanka Police conducting searches at the residences of Faris and Amir on 21 May, no significant or suspicious findings were uncovered. Similarly, searches at the residences of other suspects have also failed to yield any results of links to ISIS thus far.

A specialised team from the Terrorism Investigation Division, appointed by Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennekoon, is conducting the local investigations. Led by two Superintendents of Police and supervised by a Senior DIG, this team is receiving support from the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat, India, as well as Sri Lanka’s intelligence services, according to sources.

Gujarat IGP Vikas Sahay addressing a press conference recently said the Indian Police believes the arrested four are connected to Sri Lanka’s National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) which was implicated in the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and remains banned in Sri Lanka.