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Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the government had known that Sri Lankan nationals who had joined the Islamic State had returned to the country, but they could not be arrested as joining a foreign terrorist organisation is not against the law. 

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Easter terror attacks on three Catholic churches and three luxury hotels that claimed 253 lives but the government has blamed a local Islamist extremist group National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ) for the bombings. 

"We knew they went to Syria...But in our country, to go abroad and return or to take part in a foreign armed uprising is not an offence here," Wickremesinghe told Sky News. "We have no laws which enable us to take into custody people who join foreign terrorist groups. We can take those who are, who belong to terrorist groups operating in Sri Lanka," he was quoted as saying. 

Facing public criticism for not acting against Islamist extremist groups in the island nation, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said some of the suspected attackers responsible for the Easter bombings were being monitored by the country's intelligence services. But authorities did not have "sufficient" evidence to place the suspected attackers in custody prior to the attacks, he said. 

Top officials have acknowledged that Sri Lanka received intelligence about possible terror strikes ahead of the attacks, but both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minster Wickremesinghe have said that they did not receive the information. 

Wickremesinghe told CNN that he did not rule out the possibility of more attacks in the country. He said authorities were now focussing on "sleepers" - terrorists who could activate another round of attacks.

"Police and security forces are rounding up those involved, but they're also rounding up the sleepers, those used on second and third rounds (of attacks)," he said. "The danger has come down drastically, (but) we do have to pick up some more sleepers, which we will do in the next few days." 

Sri Lankan police have released photos of six suspects, including three women, wanted for their involvement in the attacks and sought information regarding them from the public. Authorities earlier said nine bombers, believed to be members of local Islamist extremist group NTJ, carried out the blasts.

(PTI)

The Treasury has paid off Rs.84,461 million which were due by December 31, 2018 for various programmes and projects implemented under different Government ministries and institutions, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

Earlier, the Treasury had been informed that Rs.99,415 million was due at December 31, 2018 for completing various projects undertaken by various government institutions. Treasury Secretary, Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga stated that 85% out of the total due payment has already been paid off. He said there are some shortcomings in the balance and, action will be taken to pay off it once such shortcoming are cleared.

Having completed various contracts, constructions and procurement, Government ministries and other institutions forward their vouchers to the treasury for payment by the end of the month of December each year. Treasury has been continuously making payments for such vouchers within the first 3 – 4 months of the following year since 2015.

However, there was a delay in making such payments as did in the past, in the last Quarter of 2018 due to the uncertainty that hit the country. At the same time the passing of budget 2019 could not be achieved in the year 2018. It was delayed until April 5th, 2019. Consequent to this delay, the sum of due payments at the end of the year 2018 was accumulated unprecedentedly up to Rs. 99 billion. Accordingly, this also caused a delay in the settlement of payments of the year 2018.

On the advice of Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, the Public Finance Department of the Treasury has been making arrangements to digitalize the Government Procurement System. Therefore, as commenced in the year 2015, the Treasury will be able to make all future due payments for government procurement soon after such particular projects are completed.

Sri Lanka's police chief resigned from his post on Friday, two days after President Maithripala Sirisena asked him to step down over the security establishment's failure to avert the deadly Easter bombings. Sirisena, who is also the defence minister, said Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara resigned over failures which led to the attacks on three hotels and three churches on Sunday that claimed 253 lives.

"The IGP has resigned. He has sent his resignation to the acting defence secretary. I'll nominate a new IGP soon," the president said. The police chief's resignation came a day after the country's defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando handed over his resignation letter to the president.

Sirisena had asked Fernando and Jayasundara to quit after their failure to prevent the blasts despite having prior intelligence. Sirisena said the intelligence supplied by a friendly nation was not shared with him by officials. "All they have done was to exchange letters among themselves," he said.

"I asked both police chief and defence secretary why the information was not shared with me, they remained silent," he said. He said the security lapse was also due to the current government's weakening of intelligence operations.

This is a reference to the arrest and trials against a handful of military intelligence officers who were responsible for attacks and murder of journalists, abductions and ransom taking, he said. He said the power struggle in his government was because he had objected to the government's weakening of the security forces.

Sirisena said he would soon set up a Joint Operations Command to combat terrorism and each and every house would be checked for the safety of all citizens. Top officials have acknowledged that Sri Lanka received intelligence about possible terror strikes ahead of the attacks, but both Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that they did not receive the information.

Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on Easter Sunday.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the government has blamed a local Islamist extremist group National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ) for the attacks.

The president also confirmed that Sri Lankan Islamist extremist Zahran Hashim, the leader of the NTJ, died in the blast at the Shangri-La hotel. Hashim led the attack on the hotel and was accompanied by a second bomber, Ilham Ahmed Ibrahim.

The president also appealed to the island nation not to view its minority Muslim community as terrorists in the wake of the attacks. Sirisena said despite the attacks, the island's nine per cent Muslim minority must not be regarded terrorists.

"We looked into banning the NTJ but we do not have laws to do that right now. We have to draft new laws. We will get this done soon," he said. "Information is that around 130-140 ISIS suspects are in the country. Around 70 are arrested, we will arrest them all very soon ending this (terror)," Sirisena said.

Police said that over 70 suspects, including five women, have been arrested as the Lankan authorities have intensified their search operations with the help of the army. Today's Friday prayers were cancelled as a Muslim Theologists Group, Jammiyyathul Ulama asked Muslims to pray indoors. This was following the information received that extremists could carry out more attacks.

The city and the immediate suburbs of Colombo looked deserted this morning. Most offices have allowed employees to work from home. "During the last 24 hours, there have been no incidents reported," Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, the military spokesman, said.

He said the Sri Lankan Army would continue search operations for suspects linked to the terror group.

(With inputs from agencies.)

The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), the apex body of Sri Lankan Muslims, said on Thursday that mosques will not bury the bombers.

Additionally, Muslims have also been asked to avoid Friday prayers, while the women have been asked to avoid wearing a burqa.

“We advise that in the prevailing situation, our sisters should not hinder the security forces in their efforts to maintain national security by wearing the face cover (niqab)", the ACJU said.

Whereas, Minister for Muslim Religious Affairs Abdul Haleem Mohammed Hashim called on Muslims to not attend Friday prayers.

“As a sign of solitary with the Catholic community and a show of protest against the barbaric act of the ruthless terrorists, I appeal to my Muslim brothers to avoid gathering for congregational prayers (on Friday) and to pray at home instead, for peace and security of our motherland", he said in a statement.

“We stand with Christian brothers and sisters during their time of grief,” the Minister added.

The Constitutional Council has unanimously approved Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya as the new Chief Justice after considering the recommendation made by President Maithripala Sirisena. 

The Speaker’s Office said that the Constitutional Council, chaired by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, convened this morning (26) in Parliament.

Meanwhile, Additional Auditor General Chulantha Wickramaratne was also unanimously approved for the post of Auditor General by the Constitutional Council.

Authorities have arrested 3 members attached to the Sri Lankan Airlines flight crew for questioning with regard to the Easter Sunday attacks
They have been arrested on a tip-off that they maintained a close relationship with those who had carried out the suicide attacks.

Accordingly, they have been removed from the flight services, today.

Meanwhile, it was reported that four other SriLankan flight crew members have also received complaints.

An extremist leader considered a central figure in Sri Lanka's Easter suicide bombings died in the attacks, the president said Friday as the police chief became the latest figure to quit over the failure to prevent the massacre.

With the country still on edge, heavy security was put in place for Friday prayers at mosques, but authorities revised down the bombings' toll to 253 dead from 359, saying some badly mutilated bodies had been counted twice.

President Maithripala Sirisena told reporters that local extremist Zahran Hashim, believed to be a key player in the attacks, died in one of the blasts at three packed churches and three luxury hotels used by foreign tourists.

"What intelligence agencies have told me is that Zahran was killed during the Shangri-La attack," he said.

He said Hashim led the attack against the hotel and was accompanied by a second bomber, who has been identified as Ilham Ibrahim.

Authorities had been on a desperate hunt for Hashim after the government named his group, National Thowheeth Jama'ath as perpetrators of the attack.

Hashim, who founded the NTJ, appeared in a video released by the Islamic State group when it claimed the strikes. He is seen leading seven others in a pledge of allegiance to the IS chief.

With the country on the defensive over ignored foreign warnings that attacks were likely, police chief Pujith Jayasundara became the second major resignation.

Sri Lanka's top defence ministry official Hemasiri Fernando stepped down late Thursday and the inspector general of police has also tendered his resignation, Sirisena announced, insisting that security institutions must "take responsibility."

"The defence secretary (Fernando) and IGP must take responsibility for the security failure," Sirisena said.

"That is why I asked them both to resign before I hold a disciplinary inquiry."

The government has faced recriminations over its failure to prevent the attacks despite receiving warnings.

Indian intelligence shared several warnings about planned attacks with Sri Lankan authorities, an Indian source told AFP, but the information was not given to ministers, in what Colombo has called a "major" lapse.

The military has poured troops into the streets to bolster police as they search for suspects using newly granted powers under a state of emergency.

At least 74 people are in custody so far, including a man believed to be the father of two of the bombers. (AFP)

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons and Cooperative Development, Skills Development and Vocational Training, Rishad Bathiudeen pointed out that any Industry and Commerce Minister has to meet business and trade representatives for trade related issues.

“Any Industry and Commerce Minister meets business and trade representatives for trade issues. As the Minister of Trade, I too meet business and trade representatives on a regular basis,” the Minister said.

“I strongly condemn such false accusations but sadly people like me who have always been opposed to terrorism are now being accused of having links with terrorists,” the Minister said.

The official photo released to the press on 2 June 2017 of Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen’s June 1, 2017 official meeting with the Colombo Traders Association’s (CTA) Secretary Mr. Suriyar (at left- also Chairman of Sooriyan Traders ) and Chairman of CTA YM Ibrahim (Chairman, Ishana Exports Pvt Ltd –seated at far right) at the Ministry premises, Colombo 3. Seated second, third and fourth from right were officials of Ministry of Industry and Commerce, while seated fifth to ninth (at right) were other representatives from CTA.

“I met with Ibrahim Hajiar, the Chairman of Colombo Traders’ Association (CTA) along with other CTA representatives at the Ministry to discuss matters pertaining to certain supply issues that were officially submitted to me,” he said.
The Minister added that there could be no political campaign worse or cheaper than accusing him of terrorist links over a photo of an official meeting.
The Minister also said that the law should be strictly enforced on the terrorists and their organisations that were responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks.

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz called for unity in the wake of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that killed at least 359 innocent people, including four U.S. citizens.  Noting the progress Sri Lanka has made in building trust and ties among people of different faiths and ethnicities over the last few years, she urged Sri Lankans to remain unified.

“These terrible attacks are the work of a few individuals and not of an entire community,” Ambassador Teplitz said.  “Sri Lankans of all backgrounds and faiths have come together to condemn these atrocities.  Unity is the most powerful answer to terrorism.” 

Ambassador Teplitz stated that President Trump’s offer of assistance was both concrete and significant: expert teams from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) are providing support to the Sri Lankan-led investigation into the attacks, at the behest of the Sri Lankan Government.  These teams are working side-by-side with Sri Lankan law enforcement officials in forensics and crime scene investigations.  The Embassy is working to determine ways in which we can assist Sri Lanka’s communities in coming together in the aftermath of this tragedy.

“We want to provide all possible support to Sri Lanka’s efforts and are assisting at the invitation of the government,” the Ambassador added. “Conspiracy theories about the involvement of the U.S. military draw attention away from where it should be focused, which is firmly on the victims and their families.”  The cooperation is part of the growing partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka.  Security is a key component of that partnership.  “As a close friend to Sri Lanka, we are heartbroken by these attacks.  We’re committed to helping Sri Lanka emerge from this crisis stronger and more unified.”

Sri Lanka should rise above politics

Sri Lanka’s leaders must set aside their differences to focus on the pressing security and economic challenges facing the island nation after the deadly Easter bombings, the top U.S. envoy said in an interview.

"They have to rise above the politics to address the situation at hand," ambassador Teplitz said in a phone interview on Wednesday. 
"Already, many friends of Sri Lanka have been encouraging them to get past some of the politics and focus on the needs of the country, particularly around their economic future."

Investor ConcernsThe U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Sri Lankan government in its investigation of the "very sophisticated attack," she said. But the country’s leaders now need to pull together and make sure investors and tourists -- a big source of revenue -- feel secure enough to invest in and visit the tropical country, particularly after Sirisena’s attempt to fire Wickremesinghe last year paralyzed government.

"There was a constitutional crisis at the end of the year that certainly caused tourists and investors to pause," Teplitz said. "The government itself admits very serious intelligence lapses. The effort has to be how they address those weaknesses and shore this up for the future. As a country, it still has tremendous potential -- to be booming, frankly -- and tourism is probably a leading sector in that."

The Israel National Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau on Thursday (25) issued a warning for travel to Sri Lanka, saying there was a “high and concrete” chance of a terror attack, four days after the Easter Sunday suicide bombing attacks that killed more than 350 people in and around the capital of Colombo, The Times of Israel report.

The security agency said Israeli travelers should leave the island as soon as possible, and those planning to visit were advised to cancel their trips

The announcement means the country now bears the security agency’s second-highest warning. The decision to issue the warning was made after consultations with security officials and the Foreign Ministry.

All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), the apex body of Islamic scholars in Sri Lanka, has called upon the country's female residents not to wear a face veil and, thus, not to impede the work of law enforcement agencies that investigate the recent deadly attacks in the South Asian nation. 

"We strongly appeal to our sisters to be mindful of the critical emergency situation now prevalent in our country and the difficulties faced by the security officers in performing their functions in situations where the identity of a person cannot be ascertained. Hence, we advise that in the prevailing situation our sisters should not hinder the security forces in their efforts to maintain national security by wearing the face cover (Niqab)," the organization said in a statement. 

The ACJU also appealed to everyone to cooperate with the security forces and law enforcement agencies."As Muslims, we are obliged to be responsible citizens and protect our motherland and maintain peace and order… We also recommend that all persons should carry their National Identity card at all times to be produced when required by any public officer," it concluded. The sri Lankan

A husband and wife. A pair of brothers from a wealthy, upper-class family. A man with a law degree. Another who studied in the United Kingdom and did postgraduate work in Australia, before coming home to settle down in his native Sri Lanka.

Those are the profiles emerging Wednesday, according to Sri Lankan officials and local media, of the suicide bombers who killed more than 350 people in sophisticated, coordinated attacks on churches and hotels there on Easter Sunday. If the Islamic State's claim of responsibility is true, it would be the group's deadliest terror attack.

Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, Deputy Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardene said most of the attackers were "well-educated" and came from "middle-class" backgrounds.

"We believe that one of the suicide bombers studied in the U.K. and then maybe later on did his postgraduate in Australia, before coming back to settle in Sri Lanka," he said.

The U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina Teplitz, called it "incredibly tragic" that intelligence warnings about the suicide bombers' plans appear to have been missed.

"Clearly there was some failure in the system," Teplitz told reporters in the capital Colombo.

The FBI and U.S. military are helping to investigate, she said. While local officials admitted prior warnings had been received, the information did not reach the highest levels of Sri Lanka's government, lawmakers said. Teplitz said U.S. officials had not been made aware either.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has vowed to replace top defense and intelligence officials, and local media are reporting he has asked the country's police chief and defense secretary to resign.

In parliament, lawmakers traded barbs Wednesday, accusing one another of playing politics with intelligence, and even of supporting a domestic Islamist group that was virtually unknown before this week.

Information coming from lawmakers and government officials since Sunday has often been contradictory. Even before the attacks, Sri Lankan politics were in a state of disarray.

Last October, Sirisena sparked a constitutional crisis by firing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and later appointing a former president and strongman, Mahinda Rajapaksa, to replace him. That move was eventually rejected by Sri Lankan courts and many lawmakers, and the original prime minister was eventually reinstated. But Sirisena held control of the country's security apparatus and police — a decision that sparked anger among opposition lawmakers.

"By unlawfully holding on to the law-and-order portfolio, the president has now become the first person who should take responsibility for these attacks that could have been prevented," lawmaker M.A. Sumanthiran, who belongs to an opposition Tamil party, told parliament Wednesday.

The attacks hit almost 10 years to the day since the end of Sri Lanka's 26-year civil war. It was a secular, ethnic conflict that left several tens of thousands dead. At its height, suicide bombers struck many times in the capital Colombo. But the country has, until now, had no known Muslim extremist movement.

On Wednesday, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told reporters that there were actually nine suicide bombers, not seven, as officials had previously said. The female bomber was the wife of another bomber, he said. She exploded herself along with her two children as police moved in to search a house they were in, in the aftermath of the attacks, Gunasekara said. Three police officers also died in that blast.

At least 60 people have been arrested so far, Gunasekara also said.

Another official, defense minister Ruwan Wijewardene, on Wednesday backed off claims that the Easter attacks were in retaliation for shootings last month at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. He told reporters that the mosque attacks may have been a motivation but that there was no direct evidence of that. (NPR)