dChan
Anonymous ID: 60e4c5 May 5, 2019, 8:56 p.m. No.6426003   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>6083 >>6277 >>6386

http://archive.is/9MXlV

 

Sri Lanka Expels 200 Islamic Clerics Following Deadly Easter Attacks

 

Sri Lanka has expelled more than 600 foreign nationals, including approximately 200 Islamic clerics since the Easter suicide bombings at three churches and three luxury hotels that killed 257 people and wounded nearly 500.

The attacks were led by a local Islamic cleric known to have traveled to India where he made contact with jihadis.

 

Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena said the clerics had entered the country legally, but amid a security crackdown after the attacks were found to have overstayed their visas, for which fines were imposed and they were expelled from the island. -Daily Mirror

 

"Considering the current situation in the country, we have reviewed the visas system and took a decision to tighten visa restrictions for religious teachers," said Abeywardena, adding "Out of those who were sent out, about 200 were Islamic preachers."

Police said that many of those expelled include foreigners from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Maldives who have overstayed their visas.

"There are religious institutions which have been getting down foreign preachers for decades," Abeywardena said. "We have no issues with them, but there are some which mushroomed recently. We will pay more attention to them."

Sri Lanka is overhauling the country's visa police in the wake of the attacks, as authorities now fear that foreign clerics might radicalize locals for future attacks. A state of emergency was imposed after the attacks which give wide powers to police and troops in order to arrest and detain suspects for extended periods.

Authorities have been conducting house-to-house searches for explosives and radical Islamic propaganda.

Late last month, security forces exchanged gunfire in a battle with terrorists holed up in an Islamic State safe-house in the Muslim-majority town of Sainthamarudu in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province after they were tipped off by a local Imam, according to BDNews24.

 

In a gun battle between the security forces and terrorists holed up in a van and the safe house, and following three explosions triggered by the holed-up terrorists on Friday night, 15 people, including six men, six women, and three children, were killed.

Two suspected terrorists, believed to be suicide bombers, have decamped and a hunt is on for them, police said.

The safe house in question was taken on rent by the followers of a Tawheed Jamaat led by Mohammed Zahran Hashim, who was influenced by the Islamic State.

Zahran was one of the suicide bombers who died in the Easter Sunday attacks on churches and hotels in Colombo. -BDNews24

 

Troops in the nearby town of Nintavur reportedly found an unregistered van belonging to Zahran's brother-in-law, Niyas - while IS flags, literature and other objects were found during a raid last week in the Sammanthurai region. According to a Sri Lankan military spokesman, Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, combined troops also recovered explosives, detonators, gelignite sticks, acid bottles, suicide kits and military uniforms from the safe house.

 

Meanwhile, in Erakandy in Trincomalee district, police have arrested a person with 51 water gel explosive sticks and 215 detonators. In Colombo, ruling United National Party Municipal Councillor Noordeen Mohamad Thajuddeen has been arrested for possessing 46 swords. -BDNews24

Anonymous ID: 60e4c5 May 5, 2019, 9:03 p.m. No.6426048   🗄️.is đź”—kun

>>6426019

I unfortunately agree and now if I do link them it's archived (but I'm also trying to archive anything I throw out because it's just better all around) so as to not throw shekels their way. They used to be a good site 10 years ago. It's sad honestly but to be expected.