Horrowpothana NTJ group leader has fled the country: Police

The person called 'Abu Bakkar' who is believed to be the Horrowpothana and Kebethigollewa coordinator of the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) Organisation, had fled to a Middle Eastern country, the police said.

He had left the country two days after the Easter Sunday bomb attacks according to preliminary investigations, a senior police officer said.

This has been revealed upon interrogation of the suspects arrested from Kebethigollewa and Horrowpothana in the Anuradhapura district.

These suspects arrested from the area are Lebbe Thambi Jesmin of Weerasole College in Horowpothana, Seynul Abdeen - a teacher of Ziraj Nagar Arabic school and Mohideen Bawa Naufer, an economic development officer and Sakiriya - a farmer in Kebetthigollewa.

The escapee is said to have been involved in organising activities of the NTJ in these areas. About 400 have attended his preaching sessions, as revealed. Some have been transported by buses from Kattankudi with the help of Zaharan Hashim who was the leader of Thowheed Jamaath.

They had been given dry rations worth Rs 10,000 each. Even dairy cattle had been given to some members. (Srinath Prasanna Jayasuriya)