Sri Lanka is going to ban 11 Islamic fundamentalist organizations including Islamic State (ISIS) and Al Qaeda.
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Sri Lanka has decided to ban 11 Islamic fundamentalist organizations, including the Islamic State (ISIS) and Al Qaeda. It was officially announced on Wednesday. The statement issued from the office of Attorney-General Dappula de Livera stated that they have approved the ban on Al Qaeda and ISIS as well as nine local extremist organizations.
Officials said the ban will come into effect soon with the issuance of the gazette. Soon after the Easter Sunday attack in Sri Lanka in 2019, Sri Lanka banned the local jihadi organization National Thowheeth Jamaath and two other organizations. 270 people were killed in this attack, 11 Indian citizens were also among those who died.
Special investigation committee formed after the attack
In 2019, a special inquiry committee constituted by the then President Maithripala Sirisena recommended a ban on Muslim fundamentalist organizations, which advocate radicalism in this Buddhist-dominated country. In this report, a radical Buddhist organization was also sought to be banned. This organization is known as BBS or Forces of Buddhist Power. The committee said that the actions of BBS only contributed to radicalization of the Muslims of the country. The committee had found Sirisena and the then top police security officials failing to stop the attacks despite having intelligence.
Hotels and churches targeted on Easter
Let us tell you that on 21 April 2019, on the occasion of Easter Sunday, three Sri Lankan churches and three hotels in the capital Colombo were blown up by the terrorists. The six that were targeted included St. Anthony’s Church in Colombo, Sebastiens Church in Negombo’s Western Coastal Town and Batticalova Church in Eastern Town. At the same time, the three five-star hotels targeted by the terrorists included Hotel Sangrila, The Cinnamon Grand and The Kingsbury. A residential complex and a guest house were also targeted in the afternoon.
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