In January 2023, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka ruled that then-President Maithripala Sirisena and several other government authorities had failed to act on intelligence, ordering them to pay compensation to the victims.
Sri Lanka’s defense agencies have intensified their vigilance following intelligence reports of a potential extremist group operating in the Eastern Province, the government confirmed Tuesday. Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa addressed the media, confirming the heightened security measures in response to these concerns.
The alert stems from intelligence gathered by the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and military intelligence, which suggests attempts to propagate extremist ideologies within the Muslim community in the Eastern region, particularly in the town of Kalmunai. Public security minister Ananda Wijepala, in a weekend report by the Sunday Times, highlighted that surveillance of certain religious sites indicated children were being indoctrinated with ideologies deemed contrary to the teachings of Islam.
“At the moment, we have information that there is a group operating based in the Eastern Province,” Jayatissa stated during the post-cabinet media briefing. “The intelligence and security agencies are in the process of unearthing more information regarding that. At the moment we can say the security agencies are vigilant about their activities.”
According to Minister Wijepala, the focus of concern is the alleged indoctrination of children with extremist ideologies, a practice that has prompted increased monitoring of religious activities in the Kalmunai area. “We will not allow the spread of extremism and racism in the country again. We will take measures to nip such issues in the bud,” he asserted.
Suicide bombers
Residents of Kalmunai have reported the presence of a group operating in the area for approximately five years. This group, reportedly led by a professional, has been observed preaching against conventional education, professional careers, and extravagant spending on weddings. However, no arrests related to suspected terrorism activities have been made thus far.
The current heightened alert comes against a backdrop of severe criticism levelled at Sri Lanka’s security apparatus following the devastating Easter Sunday bombings in 2019. The attacks, carried out by Islamist suicide bombers, exposed critical failures in intelligence sharing and coordination among security agencies.
On April 21, 2019, Easter Sunday, coordinated suicide bombings targeted three churches in Negombo, Batticaloa, and Colombo, as well as three luxury hotels in the capital: the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand, and Kingsbury. Later that day, smaller explosions occurred at a housing complex in Dematagoda and a guest house in Dehiwala. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 269 people, including at least 45 foreign nationals, three police officers, and eight suicide bombers. An additional 500 were injured.
Investigations revealed that the bombers were Sri Lankan citizens affiliated with the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ), a local Islamist militant group with suspected foreign ties. Initially, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene suggested the attacks were retaliation for the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand, but this direct linkage has been questioned by New Zealand and other experts.
Extensive inquiries
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attacks through its propaganda outlet, Amaq News Agency, stating that the perpetrators were “Islamic State fighters.” However, the Criminal Investigation Department has stated that there is no evidence of ISIL’s direct involvement.
The aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings led to extensive inquiries that highlighted significant security lapses and the government’s failure to act on available intelligence. In January 2023, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka ruled that then-President Maithripala Sirisena and several other government authorities had failed to act on intelligence, ordering them to pay compensation to the victims.
The current vigilance by Sri Lanka’s defense agencies underscores the government’s commitment to preventing a recurrence of such tragedies. The focus on monitoring and addressing potential extremist activities in the Eastern Province reflects a renewed emphasis on proactive security measures. The agencies are working to gather more information about the suspected extremist group and its activities, aiming to ensure the safety and security of all citizens.
