Accomplice of 4 Sri Lankan IS terrorists held in Colombo

Colombo: Sri Lanka police announced on Thursday that they have arrested an accomplice linked to four Sri Lankan nationals arrested in Ahmedabad for allegedly planning terror activities for the banned Islamic State (IS).

The accomplice, the son of a notorious drug lord, was apprehended in Colombo’s Maligawatta area and is being interrogated by the police’s terrorist investigation division.

A senior Deputy Inspector General is leading the investigation into the four men arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad on May 19 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport.

The accused, Mohammad Nusrat (35), Mohammad Faarukh (35), Mohammad Nafran (27), and Mohammad Rasdeen (43), told investigators they had previously been associated with the banned Sri Lankan militant group National Thowheeth Jamath (NJT) before joining IS through a Pakistani handler named Abu. The accused were reportedly paid Rs 4 lakh in Sri Lankan currency to carry out their activities.