Saudi embassy advises its citizens to leave Sri Lanka

Saudi Arabia advised its nationals to leave Sri Lanka, Al-Ekhbariya state TV reported on Tuesday, citing the Kingdom’s embassy in Colombo.



Interview: Terrorists can strike anywhere, anti-terror expert warns

“Terrorists can strike anywhere and the recent terror incidents in New Zealand and Sri Lanka have proved this,” said Maninderjeet Singh Bitta, a leading anti-terror expert in India.



TNA blames Easter Sunday massacres on Sri Lanka’s failure to address grievances of minorities

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran on Monday (April 29) alleges that the Easter Sunday carnage was a result of Sri Lanka’s failure to ensure certain basic values.



STF finds 35 T-56 bullets in Hizbullah’s office

The Special Task Force (STF) yesterday (30) raided Eastern Province Governor A.L.M. Hizbullah’s Kattankudi office where they found 35 Type 56 bullets, which the Governor claims belong to the Police security officers working for him.



Sri Lanka Catholics to resume mass two weeks after attacks

Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church said public masses will resume Sunday under tight security, two weeks after Easter bombings claimed by the Islamic State group killed 253 people at three churches and three luxury hotels.



Colombo Archbishop rejects the bullet proof vehicle

The Colombo Archbishop, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith says that he rejected the new vehicle which was offered for his use when he came to know that it was bullet-proof.



Sri Lanka bombers had clear links to ISIS – President

Sri Lankan intelligence services believe the Easter Sunday suicide bombers had “very clear” links to ISIS, the country’s president told CNN Monday.



President instructs to lift social media ban

President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) Director General to lift the social media ban with immediate effect, the Government Information Department said today.



Information Technology in the Police Department – Need for reform

Out of curiosity, the writer looked at the website of the Police Department to find out to what extent the department was making use of information technology (IT) in its affairs, and was glad to find that a separate IT division has indeed been set up in the department as early as 1980



Islamic State chief refers Sri Lanka in first video in five years

The Islamic State group’s elusive chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has purportedly appeared for the first time in five years in a propaganda video released Monday by the jihadist organisation.



I am not an American citizen anymore, says Gotabaya

Presidential hopeful, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa says he is not a citizen of the United States anymore.



Sri Lanka on alert for attacks as archbishop slams poor church security

Sri Lankan security officials have warned that Islamist militants behind Easter Sunday’s suicide bombings are planning attacks and could be dressed in uniform, as the archbishop of Colombo complained about insufficient security around churches.



NTJ Colombo organizer to be detained for 72 hours

The Colombo Magistrates Court has granted approval to the Keselwatte Police to detain and question National Thowheed Jamath Colombo district organizer Mohammad Farook Mohammad Fawaz, for 72 hours in connection to terrorist activities.



General Shantha Kottegoda appointed Defence Secretary

Former Army Commander General Shantha Kottegoda has been appointed as the new Secretary of Defence, President’s Media Division said.



Government intelligence obtains information on possible attack on Buddhist temples

The Government Intelligence Service has received information on an attack targeting the Buddhist temples by the National Thawheeth Jamaath (NTJ), using female bombers.



Chandana Wickremaratne appointed as the acting IGP

Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Chandana Wickremaratne has been appointed as the Acting Inspector General of Police.