Bodu Bala Sena CEO Dilanthe Withanage claimed Sri Lankan Muslims linked to the Islamic State were behind the riots in Aluthgam, in which Muslims were attacked by Sinhala mobs.

Speaking to media on the reported death of a Sri Lankan member of the Islamic State group, Mr Withanage said the BBS had warned about the dangers of Sri Lankans being recruited to join the group in Iraq and Syria six months ago, but it was ridiculed as racist at the time.

“Several Sri Lankan Muslim communities have requested the BBS to help free them from this extremism and they said that they would support silently,” he said.

“We can clearly say the Sri Lankans, who worked for ISIS, have involvement in the Aluthgama incident. Sri Lankan authorities are afraid of investigating in to the ISIS related incident in the country,” Mr. Withanage said.

BBS General Secretary Galagodaathe Gnanasara said the government should investigate and publish how “Muslim extremists” are being funded in Sri Lanka.

“It should investigate how the funds are coming to them, from which countries and for what and publish the details to the country,” he said.

“Most of the problems are created because of not revealing to the public the facts relating to the Welikada, Dehiwela, Aluthgama and the latest in the Keththrama ground incidents. The Government should take action to stop such funds coming to extremists without fondling them in the aim of getting votes in the upcoming Parliamentary Elections,” Mr Gnanasara further said.