Sri Lanka: 293 suspects held over Easter Sunday attacks

By Ameen Izzadeen

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AA) - At least 293 suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the April 21 Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka, a senior police officer said Thursday.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said 115 suspects had appeared before a court and remanded while another 178 were being detained for questioning after arrest warrants.

Among the suspects was Sri Lanka Jamaat-e-Islami’s former leader Rasheed Ustad Hajjul Akbar. However, the top Muslim organization, which maintains a wide network in South Asia, has rejected allegations that its former leader had connections with extremist groups.

The police spokesman said moves were also underway to freeze 6 billion Sri Lankan rupees (approx. $33 million) worth of assets belonging to the suspects.

Gunasekera told journalists that the Criminal Investigations Department had collected information regarding these assets and would take steps to freeze them in due course. He said more than 100 bank accounts of 41 suspects had already been frozen.

The officer said the police had been able to uncover vital information relating to the suspects by analyzing 2,900 telephone numbers and 169 International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers.

More than 250 people were killed and 500 wounded when attackers loyal to Daesh terrorist group carried out suicide bomb blasts in three churches, two star-class hotels and two other places on Easter Sunday in April.

On August 27 police said they arrested two suspects who had received weapons training at a secret camp run by extremist groups.