Latest Sri Lanka News and Top Stories

General Secretary of the SLFP, former Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara made an appeal to Saudi Arabia and Qatar yesterday not to let extremist groups in those countries to finance Muslim fundamentalists in Sri Lanka like National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ) that carried out the Easter Sunday carnage.

President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed security forces not to tag along journalists or any other external parties while conducting search operations.

All suspected plotters and those directly linked to Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday bombings have either been arrested or are dead, the country’s acting police chief said on Monday.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has identified more than Rs.140 million cash and other assets worth over Rs.7 billion belonging to the terrorists involved in the Easter Sunday attacks, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Nine of the ten suspects, who were arrested at the copper factory allegedly used to manufacture the bombs detonated at three churches and three luxury hotels on Easter Sunday, have been released on bail.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has agreed to compensate the private and public properties that were damaged during the clashes between two groups in Porutota-Kochchikade, Negombo last evening (05).

Restrictions have been imposed on the use of loudspeakers in Mosques during the month of Ramazan Fasting which begins tomorrow.

The second academic term for school children in grade 6 and above classes, commenced today. The three Armed Forces, Police, Civil Security Officers, Parents and Old boys gathered at their respective schools to provide protection.

Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundera, former Secretary to the Treasury P. B. Jayasundera and the Director of the Anti-Corruption Committee have been issued with summons ordering them to be present in Court on 13 May.

Sri Lankan police on Sunday discovered a 10-acre camp in the eastern town of Kattankudy, where Islamist militants linked to the deadly Easter attacks are believed to have practiced shooting and bombmaking.

Proper investigations should be conducted on any substantial number of fire arms or other items recovered during search operations, irrespective of where they are found, SLMC Leader and City Planning and Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem said yesterday.

The proposed Counter Terrorism Bill will encourage terrorists as it was meant to stifle political dissent and the freedom of expression while treating terrorists with the utmost leniency, Opposition Leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa said, yesterday, issuing a press release.

Police curfew has been imposed within Negombo police division with immediate effect in order to control a tense situation, stated the Police Media Spokesperson.

Sri Lanka’s $4.4 billion tourism industry is reeling from cancellations as travelers shun the sun and sand Indian Ocean island after multiple suicide bombings that killed over 250 people two weeks ago.

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena said on Saturday the security forces would “eradicate terrorism” following devastating suicide attacks on Easter Sunday and restore stability before a presidential election due by year-end.

Notorious underworld drug kingpin Makandure Madush who was arrested in Dubai, was deported to Sri Lanka this morning, police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.