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Sri Lanka insists ISIS not directly linked to Easter attacks

15 Jun, 2019

Sri Lanka has insisted that the Islamic State (IS) or ISIS were not directly involved in the Easter Sunday attacks.

A Sri Lanka intelligence officer who wished to remain anonymous, told local journalists that investigations had confirmed that the Easter Sunday attacks were carried out purely by a local group.

The officer said that the video sent to IS on the Sri Lankan bombers which was later released to the media by IS, was sent via Indonesia.

IS leader Al Baghdadi had later claimed responsibility for the multiple suicide attacks in Sri Lanka.

However the intelligence officer insisted that the local network was not led by Al Baghdadi but may have had some form of contacts with some IS members.

“They are not pure ISIS members,” he said.

The National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) was accuse of being involved in the deadly attacks on Easter Sunday targeting hotels and churches.

NTJ leader Zahran Hashim was among the bombers killed in the attacks.

Hashim had promoted the ISIS ideology through videos and other propaganda material. (Colombo Gazette)

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