Sri Lankan authorities have arrested five men who were deported from Saudi Arabia earlier today on suspicion of terrorism, including a man reported to have been behind the murder of two policemen in Batticaloa last year.

“These are the five remaining leaders of the April 21 terrorist group,” police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera told reporters, referring to the Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 250 people.

Amongst those arrested was a man identified as Hayathu Mohamed Ahmed Milhan, who Sri Lankan police claim was a senior member of the National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ), the group behind the Easter Sunday attacks.

The former mayor of Harrow, a London borough which is home to the largest population of Tamils in the UK, has been formally censured after she was found to have brought the council into disrepute by posing for photographs with senior Sri Lankan military officials.

India's National Intelligence Agency yesterday arrested a man over his reported links to one of Sri Lanka's Easter Sunday suicide bombers, Zahran Hashim. 

The suspect, 32-year-old Mohammad Azharuddin was arrested during a raid in Coimbatore. 

"One accused Md. Azharuddin r/o Coimbatore arrested by NIA in connection with ISIS in Tamilnadu.
Earlier, toady morning, NIA had conducted search at his place," the NIA tweeted. 

Hashim, the leader of the now proscribed National Thowheeth Jama'ath and bomber responsible for the attack on the Shangri-La hotel, was supportive of Islamic State (IS)

Residents in Batticaloa held a protest yesterday against the acquisition of Tamil land for ilmenite mining. 

The Easter Sunday bombers were funded by Sri Lankan state intelligence services, Azath Salley, a Muslim governor who resigned earlier this month. 

The Sri Lankan military thanked an Indian army delegation for providing training to Sri Lankan troops, as the military continues its international engagements despite continued allegations of rights abuses.

Sri Lanka’s Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake met with the five-member Indian delegation who are on the island to participate in the 8th consecutive ‘Army-to-Army Staff Talks’ (AAST).

The European Union's delegation to Sri Lanka expressed concern today over the pressure being directed to the Muslim community. 

“Prejudiced and unsubstantiated allegations repeatedly published by media serve only to fuel intolerance,” the EU said in a statement endorsed by France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

“We shared our views during a meeting today with the Prime Minister. On that occasion we welcomed the government's commitment to address hate speech and to set up a religious reconciliation council.”

Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe this week criticised a former governor for identifying himself as 'Muslim', stating that "everyone should identify themelves as 'Sri Lankans'." 

The Tamil National Alliance MP and Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi leader, Mavai Senathirajah this month reiterated the call for a political solution based on federalism. 

<p>Tamil refugee and torture survivor from Sri Lanka, Thiraviyarajah Subramaniyam, 37, has appealed to be allowed to join his sister in the UK, having been incarcerated in “hellish” conditions by the Australian authorities since 2013.</p> <p>Thiraviyarajah is suffering from serious mental health problems due to the torture he experienced in Sri Lanka followed by&nbsp;years spent in detention on Manus Island.</p>