News
CCTV footage of suicide bombers played before PCoI
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Mohammed Azam Mohammed Mubarak and Mohammed Hastun, who blew themselves up inside the Kingsbury Hotel and at the Katuwapitiya Church respectively. On April 11 2019, they purchased nine backpacks and eight shawls that National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) members wore in the video pledging allegiance to ISIS, the PCoI probing Easter Sunday attacks was informed, on Tuesday (27).
Testifying before the PCoI, an officer attached to the CID played CCTV footage and bills pertaining to the above mentioned shops in Colombo.
“The suicide bombers visited Decathlon, a sports shop in Battaramulla to purchase backpacks and a shop in Grandpass, Colombo 14 to get the shawls,” the CID officer said.
They had stayed in a safe house at Paraththa Road, Panadura before the attack, the witness said.
The CID also found empty polythene bags with ball bearings, vehicle number plates, a bill from a car park in Negombo and several empty chemical cans from the Panadura safe house.
The CID officer said: “The NTJ members hired a lorry from a cab service at Boralesgamuwa to transfer materials from Panadura to Kalmunai on April 20, 2019 and the information provided by the cab driver allowed the CID to detect the safe house in Kalmunai.”
The owner of the Panadura safe house, Abdul Mohammed Ilaham, testifying before the PCoI said that on February 2, 2019 two NTJ members had signed the agreement to rent his house. The NTJ members had advanced Rs. 480,000, he said.
Earlier it was revealed that 12 NTJ members had remained in the East to carry out a second wave of attacks in August 2019.
The witness, an SIS officer, whose name cannot be divulged due to a request made by the PCoI, said the NTJ had maintained eight safe houses in the East and they had stockpiled explosives.
He said: “The white clothes that were brought from Giriulla a few days before the attacks were to be worn by those who were to carry out the second wave of attacks. They were planning to attack the Kandy Esala Perahera. The 12 terrorists killed in Sainthamaruthu were to carry it out.”
The witness added that if attacking Kandy Esala Perahera was not possible, NTJ members would have attacked other temples. If the SIS, the police, army and the STF had not carried out a combined operation in the East after April 21, 2019 and eradicated those who were to carry out the second wave; there would have been disastrous consequences, he said.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
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