Six arrested over links to training facility of banned extremist group in Lanka

Colombo, May 20 (PTI): Sri Lankan authorities have arrested six suspects, including an employee at the Parliament, over their alleged links to a training facility of the banned Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ) in Kurunegala, police said on Monday.

Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing more than 250 people. The ISIS claimed the attacks, but the government blamed NTJ for the bombings.

Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told the media that initially three suspects had been apprehended after the training facility was discovered at a coconut estate upon a tip-off received by the Kurunegala Police.

He said the suspects, which included the land owner, were arrested on May 9 and have been remanded until May 24 after being produced before a court, he was quoted as saying by the Times Online.

Details pertaining to two more individuals including that of a Kurunegala hospital staffer had emerged following questioning of the three suspects.

Gunasekara said several cheques had been discovered in the possession of the hospital staffer. Investigations had also revealed that cash deposits had been made to the suspect’s bank account from various places.

Following the questioning of the two suspects, police arrested an individual in the Alawathugoda area last Saturday. This suspect was identified as an employee of the Parliament Hansard Department, Gunasekara said.

Of the arrested six suspects, three persons including the hospital and the Parliament staffer have been remanded until May 24.

Sri Lanka banned the NTJ after the deadly attacks and arrested over 100 people in connection with the Easter blasts.