The Sri Lankan authorities on Sunday arrested a Saudi-educated scholar, Mohamed Aliyar, in connection with the Easter bombings that claimed the lives of more than 250 people. The authorities claimed that Aliyar is linked to the main accused behind the blasts- Zahran Hashim.
The Sri Lankan authorities on Sunday arrested a Saudi-educated scholar, Mohamed Aliyar, in connection with the Easter bombings that claimed the lives of more than 250 people. The authorities claimed that Aliyar is linked to the main accused behind the blasts- Zahran Hashim.
Aliyar, 60, is the founder of the Centre for Islamic Guidance, which boasts a mosque, a religious school, and a library in Zahran’s hometown of Kattankudy, a Muslim-dominated city on Sri Lanka’s eastern shores.
“Information has been revealed that the suspect arrested had a close relationship with … Zahran and had been operating financial transactions,” police said.
The scholar’s arrest comes a week after newly appointed Sri Lankan police chief Chandana Wickramaratne claimed that all suspected conspirators and individuals directly linked to the bombings have either been arrested or dead.
In the aftermath of Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s imposition of emergency, Associated Press reported that police authorities have arrested at least 40 suspects, including the driver of a van allegedly used by the suicide bombers and the owner of a house where some of the bombers lived.
In an audio statement circulated by the defence ministry, Wickramaratne, the acting Inspector General of Police, informed Tuesday that security forces had also confiscated explosives-making material intended for future use by the militants involved in the attacks.
Sri Lankan authorities have said the bombings were believed to have been carried out by two little-known local Islamist groups, the National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI). ISIS has claimed responsibility of the attack.
Aliyar, 60, is the founder of the Centre for Islamic Guidance, which boasts a mosque, a religious school, and a library in Zahran’s hometown of Kattankudy, a Muslim-dominated city on Sri Lanka’s eastern shores.
“Information has been revealed that the suspect arrested had a close relationship with … Zahran and had been operating financial transactions,” police said.
The scholar’s arrest comes a week after newly appointed Sri Lankan police chief Chandana Wickramaratne claimed that all suspected conspirators and individuals directly linked to the bombings have either been arrested or dead.
In the aftermath of Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s imposition of emergency, Associated Press reported that police authorities have arrested at least 40 suspects, including the driver of a van allegedly used by the suicide bombers and the owner of a house where some of the bombers lived.
In an audio statement circulated by the defence ministry, Wickramaratne, the acting Inspector General of Police, informed Tuesday that security forces had also confiscated explosives-making material intended for future use by the militants involved in the attacks.
Sri Lankan authorities have said the bombings were believed to have been carried out by two little-known local Islamist groups, the National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI). ISIS has claimed responsibility of the attack.