Author: TELO Admin

The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has decided to form a ‘human chain’ (‘Jana Pavura’) as today (April 21) marks the fourth commemoration of the ghastly bombings on Easter Sunday 2019 which claimed the lives of hundreds and left a long-lasting void in the families and friends of terror attack victims.

The ‘human chain’ is organized in support of the Catholic Church’s quest to seek the long overdue truth behind the brutal carnage on April 21, 2019, and justice for the victims.

The Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has invited all Sri Lankans to join the campaign today.

The ‘human chain’, themed “We are Watching until Justice is Meted Out”, was initiated at 8.00 a.m. this morning and it will be formed from St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade to St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya on the Colombo-Negombo main road.

Meanwhile, a march was organized from St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya to St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade last night and a special church service was also held in parallel with the march.

A special commemoration event and a Mass, led by Cardinal Ranjith and Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Biran Udaigwe, will be held at the St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade from 8.00 a.m.

It is be attended by the ambassadors and high commissioners of several countries including China, the United States and the United Kingdom.

A two-minute silence will also be observed at 8.45 a.m. in memory of the victims of the brutal terror attack.

The country was left devastated on April 21, 2019 after a group of suicide attackers of the now-outlawed local Islamic extremist organization National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) carried out a series of coordinated bomb blasts at St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Zion Church in Batticaloa, Cinnamon Grand, Kingsbury and Shangri-La hotels in Colombo and a guest house in Dehiwala, leaving more than 260 people including foreigners dead and at least 500 people injured.

Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency immediately after the bombings and the probes launched into the incident led to the arrest of many who have had links to the suicide bombers.

The Sri Lankan Catholic Church led by Cardinal Ranjith and the families of the victims have continuously raised concerns and doubts about slow progress of the investigations into the attacks, accusing the government of sweeping the truth under the rug for political gains.

India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has claimed that a bomber involved in a 2022 blast in a car in Coimbatore was inspired by Zahran Hashim, the mastermind of the 21 April 2019 Sri Lanka bombings.

The NIA today (Thursday) filed a chargesheet against six persons for their involvement in the 2022 blast in a car in Coimbatore, in which the alleged bomber Jameesha Mubeen was killed.

As first reported by HT, NIA has claimed in its chargesheet that Mubeen was inspired by Maulvi Zahran bin Hashim, mastermind of April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka bombings, in which over 260 people were killed, and was planning to carry out similar strikes in India, particularly Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

An explosion had taken place at an ancient Temple Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil at Eswaran Kovil Street, Ukkadam, Coimbatore on October 23.

The vehicle-borne Improvised Explosives Device (V-IED) driven by Jamesha Mubeen had blown up in front of the temple. Mubeen was killed in the blast.

“Investigations had revealed Mubeen was inspired by ISIS ideology to carry out this attack. He had also taken ‘bayath’ or oath of allegiance to its self-proclaimed Caliph Abu-al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi,” said NIA in its chargesheet.

A pen drive recovered from his associate – Mohammed Asarutheen, arrested by NIA, contained videos recordings of Jamesha Mubeen, where he had identified himself as a member of Daulat-e-Islamia (or Islamic State).

“Mubeen had spoken extensively on his intention to commit a suicide terror attack against the ‘kafirs’ (non-believers) and to become a martyr. Mubeen was inspired by the bayans (sermons) of Zahran Hashim, a radical Islamic cleric of Sri Lanka, who masterminded the easter serial suicide bomb attacks in 2019 killing around 260 people. Mubeen wanted to orchestrate a similar kind of attack against the ‘kafirs’ in India,” NIA statement said.

The agency said it recovered handwritten notes from Mubeen’s residence wherein criticism of the existing democratic system, which are not in tandem with Islamic laws, has been mentioned.

“There is also a mention of ‘targets’, including government office buildings, district court, public gathering places like parks, railway stations and few other local temples,” NIA said.

Islamic State of Khorasan Province’s online magazine called ‘Voice of Khorasan’ corroborated this in an article titled, ‘A Message to the Inhabitants in the Land Occupied by Cow and Mice Worshipping Filths’ where ISKP took responsibility for the attack held at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, agency said.

“The article goes on to state that the attack was revenge to uphold the honour of their religion and to establish Allah’s deen and his law upon his land and to terrorize the ‘Kufr’ and its followers with the threat that it was just the beginning,” it said.

Mubeen was aided by associates Mohammed Asarutheen, Mohammed Thalha, Firose Khan, Mohammed Riyas, Navas and Afsar Khan in arranging logistics.

NIA said Thalha had sourced the Maruti 800 blue colour car bearing which was used in the explosion of vehicle-borne IED while Firos, Riyas and Navas had loaded the explosives and gas cylinders in the car making it the potent weapon.

“Asarutheen and Afsar, both cousins of Mubeen had procured, weighed, mixed and packed the chemical constituents used to manufacture the VBIED used in the attack,” agency added.

Earlier, the NIA probed a module of ISIS in Coimbatore, headed by Mohammad Azharuddin in 2018-19 and found that he, along with another associate Sheikh Hidayatullah, was in touch with April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka bombings mastermind – Maulvi Zahran bin Hashim.

Mubeen too used to follow Hashim’s videos and was inspired by him.

Hashim and another Sri Lanka bomber – Mohammad Azaan had even travelled to India in 2017 and 2018 to discuss the plans of Islamic State.

Indian agencies, based on NIA probe into Coimbatore module, had sent three alerts to Sri Lanka security agencies about a plan to carry out a major strike there.

(Hindustan Times)

Sri Lanka parliament will debate the government’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund for the USD 2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility on three consecutive days next week.

The Committee on Parliamentary Business has decided that the Resolution for the implementation of the arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Sri Lanka will be debated on the three consecutive days on the 26th 27th and 28th of April.

The Acting Secretary General of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera announced that the decision was taken at the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held today (20) under the Chairmanship of Ajith Rajapakse, Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

The Government of Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund have entered into an agreement for the rapid progress in the economy of Sri Lanka and for sustainable economic growth that will benefit the present and future generations.

The arrangement for the 48-month Extended Fund Facility of about 3 billion USD was tabled on March 22nd, 2023.

Whilst the proposal submits that the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies should provide all necessary approvals for the implementation of the said setup, a vote is to be followed post the three-day debate if necessary.

Parliament is scheduled to convene from the 25th to the 28th and 9.30 am to 10.30 am has been allocated for Questions for Oral Answers.

Accordingly, on Tuesday, April 25th, Order under the Code of Criminal Procedure (Special Provisions) Act published in the Gazette Notification 2317/28 dated January 30th, 2023 is scheduled to be taken up for debate from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm.

Thereafter, the Motion at the Adjournment Time by the Government will be taken up from 5.00 pm to 5.30 pm.

Following Questions for Oral Answers, on April 26th, it has been agreed to approve without debate the Resolution under the Essential Public Services Act published in the Gazette Notification 2328/02 dated April 17th, 2023 by the President.

Thereafter, the Resolution for the implementation of the arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of the IMF for Sri Lanka will be taken up for debate until 5.00 pm.

It was also decided to present for approval 13 motions regarding the Annual Reports of various Statutory Institutions.

Furthermore, it was also agreed to present the Private Member Bills, Kelaniya Buddhist Women’s Charitable Society (Incorporation) Bill and Sri Lanka Institute of Taxation (Incorporation) (Amendment) Bill for its second reading.

Thereafter, time has been allotted from. 5.00 pm to 5.30 pm for Questions at the Adjournment Time.

On the 27th and 28th the Resolution for the implementation of the arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of the IMF for Sri Lanka is scheduled be debated for the second and third consecutive days from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm.

On the 27th of April the Motion at the Adjournment Time by the Opposition will be held from 5.00 pm to 5.30 pm.

Following the debate on April 28th, it has been agreed to approve the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill without debate.

Thereafter, time has been allotted from. 5.00 pm to 5.30 pm for Questions at the Adjournment Time.

Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church has planned to march on Thursday (20), to mark four years since the 2019 Easter attacks which falls on Friday (21).

The Catholic Church said justice has not yet been served for the victims of the 2019 April 21st attacks.

Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha, the Media Director of the Archdiocese of Colombo, said the march which will commence from the Katuwapitiya Church at 9 PM on Thursday (20) and is due to arrive at the St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade early on Friday (21) morning.

He said several special masses and silent protests have also been organized to mark four years since the attack.