Is Sri Lanka a Den of ISIS and Other Radicalized Terrorists?
Posted on June 1st, 2024
Dilrook Kannangara
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on May 19 arrested four Sri Lankans on suspicion of links to ISIS terrorism. According to the Gujarat Director General of Police, Mohammad Nusrat (35), Mohammad Faarukh (35), Mohammad Nafran (27) and Mohammad Rasdeen (43), have divulged to investigators that they were earlier associated with the banned Sri Lankan terrorist outfit, National Thowheeth Jamath (NJT), and joined ISIS after getting in touch with a Pakistani handler named Abu Bakr Al Bagdadi. The Anti-Terrorist Squad has travelled to Sri Lanka to further their terrorism investigation.
There is no question about their terrorism. That has now been established. Otherwise, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad won’t be coming to Sri Lanka.
However, Sri Lankan authorities who fail repeatedly, are trying to playdown the terrorism threat. They have no credibility left after they failed to prevent the ISIS terrorist attack on April 21, 2019 that killed 268 people and still fail to deliver justice. Trying to push this latest terrorism event under the carpet is unacceptable.
These are not their only failings.
Banned Sri Lankan terrorist outfit, National Thowheeth Jamath (NJT), has been involved in terrorist attacks since at least 2008.
https://www.sundaytimes.lk/090726/News/sundaytimesnews_09.html
Documented first act of Thawheed terrorists (though it was not termed so by incompetent Sri Lankan authorities) took place in 2008 in Thihariya, a town in the Gampaha district in clashes between Thawheed and traditional Muslims. Their next terrorist attack was on a Beruwala mosque in July 2009.
Quoted from the Sunday Times article – The relatively new group has emerged in several areas of Muslim concentration. Last year, clashes between Thawheed and the traditional Muslims occurred in a mosque in Thihariya, a town in the Gampaha district. The clashes began after the Thawjeed group, armed with knives, swords and axes stormed the mosque. The clash with their rivals damaged cars, motor cycles and bicycles. A special Police team has been deployed in the area.”
In 2023 at least 35 radicalized terrorists from Kandy, Sri Lanka travelled to Syria to join ISIS terrorists to fight against the Syrian government. No action was taken by Sri Lankan authorities even after their return.
Radicalized terrorists continued their terrorism in Sri Lanka that resulted in riots every year from 2014 to 2018.
In 2019 the same NTJ terrorist group in affiliation with ISIS (there is a video they created which shows their affiliation with the ISIS) carried out the Easter Sunday terrorist attack killing 268 people.
Though Sri Lankan authorities failed and continue to fail in handling ISIS and other radicalized terrorist activities for political reasons, other countries have not been complacent. In 2021 USA charged 3 Sri Lankans for aiding and supporting ISIS terrorism. They include (quoted) Mohamed Naufar, the second emir” for the group of ISIS supporters that called itself ISIS in Sri Lanka,” who allegedly led the group’s propaganda efforts, recruited others to join ISIS, and led a series of multi-day military-type trainings; Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Riskan, who allegedly helped manufacture the IEDs used in the Easter Attacks; and Ahamed Milhan Hayathu Moahmed, who allegedly executed a police officer in order to obtain the officer’s firearm, shot a suspected informant, and scouted a location for a separate terrorist attack.”
Three Foreign Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS
Three Foreign Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Provide Material Supp… The Justice Department announced today that three Sri Lankan citizens have been charged with terrorism offenses,…
In addition, a credible Japanese government funded website, The Diplomat, carried an article urging Sri Lanka to do more to arrest Islamic radicalization.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/05/why-sri-lanka-should-take-islamist-radicalization-more-seriously/
The world knows Sri Lanka is a den of ISIS and other radicalized terrorists. Only Sri Lankan authorities live in denial.
Rattled by the arrest of 4 ISIS terrorists in Gujarat, Sri Lankan authorities have arrested two more in Sri Lanka in connection with the terrorist group (Mohammed Nusrat and Mohommad Nafran).
Who are they trying to fool? Instead of arresting ISIS terrorists in Sri Lanka, politically motivated and incompetent police and CID units have arrested a lecturer over his factual statements! Shooting the messenger is not going to save the world from Sri Lankan origin ISIS terrorists.
There is no point in blaming India, Israel or any other. The problem is in Sri Lanka and nothing has been done to prevent or correct radicalization and terrorism.
Sri Lanka is unfortunately a hotbed and an incubator of ISIS and other radicalized terrorists. Stop pushing this fact under the carpet. Take responsibility, act and dismantle this radicalized network that is easily over 250,000 strong today. That is many times more than the armed JVP and LTTE combined!