Horowpothana suspects remanded

By Dayarathna Embogama 

The five suspects, who were arrested in Horowpothana on Friday for allegedly maintaining links with the National Thowheed Jama’ath (NTJ) and its leader Zahran Hashim, were remanded till June 4 yesterday. 

The suspects were produced in the Kebithigollewa Magistrate’s Court and District Judge Malinda Harshana De Alwis ordered the suspects to be remanded till June 4. 
A development officer attached to the Horowpothana Divisional Secretariat Mohdeen Bawa Noufer, a teacher of a government school in Horowpothana Lebbe Thambi Jasmin, Principal of Ellewa Arab school in Kebithigollewa Zainudeen Thalipa Thulla, teacher of Kanthale Arab School Senul Aabdeen Irshan and a resident of Kebithigollewa Noorge Zakariya were the suspects who were remanded. 

They were previously detained for questioning under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). 

The Police said the suspects had delivered extremist sermons in Anuradhapura and Trincomalee. 

It was revealed that these suspects had received large funds from the NTJ via one of the main suspects of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, who is believed to be in a foreign country. 

They were previously detained for questioning under PTA