Sri Lanka’s military continued to entrench its presence in Tamil civilian life, using tourism, religious festivals, humanitarian aid, and donations to schools to advance Sinhalisation and sustain military occupation across the Tamil homeland.
Batticaloa
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan army Major General A.H.L.G Amarapala, also Chairman of the Board of Management of the Laya Hotels…
<p>Sri Lanka’s president was personally warned about imminent terror attacks on three separate occasions, reports the Colombo Telegraph.</p>
<p>The Head of State Intelligence Service Senior (SSIS) DIG Nelantha Jayawardane, met Sirisena personally to brief him on the 11th April and 16th April to inform him about imminent terror attacks, and gave him a phone call whilst he was on holiday.</p>
Sri Lankan police investigating the Easter Sunday attacks are on the hunt for a former soldier who they suspect may have helped trained the bombers that attacked churches and hotels last week.
The former soldier, named as Bathrudeen Mohammed Mohideen or ‘Army Mohideen’, may have trained the suspects, according to Sri Lankan police.
The Sri Lankan government announced today that it had received information on planned attacks targetting Buddhist temples using female suicide bombers associated with the National Thawheeth Jamaath group.
The former president and current opposition leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday chaired a meeting with previous defence chiefs on Sri Lanka's security situation following the Easter Sunday blasts.
More memorials and vigils were held across the North-East in tribute of the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks in Batticaloa and Colombo which killed over 250 people.
Military personnel, Special Task Force officers, and police were seen in heightened numbers across the North-East this weekend as more people were arrested for alleged involvement with the Easter Sunday blasts.
Residents in Maruthamunai, Amparai described seeing security forces directing all Muslim people in the area to Kariyappar School after a gun battle between troops and Islamists extremists took place. Muslim residents were interrogated and forced to register their details with the military.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has warned its citizens against all non-essential travel to Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday bombings which left over 250 dead.
"In view of the prevailing security situation in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of terror attacks on April 21, 2019, Indian nationals intending to travel to Sri Lanka are advised not to undertake non-essential travel," the advisory said.
A new Facial Recognition System is to be installed at Sri Lanka's main airport in Colombo following the Easter Sunday bombings by Islamist extremist groups.