SL works on finding ghost ‘foreign hand’ in Easter Sunday mayhem

• Justice Minister said ordinary Muslims do not follow extremism

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

Sri Lankan government has already begun to work with at least five foreign countries to determine whether there is any foreign involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks, a Senior Minister told Parliament yesterday.   

Speaking during the debate in Parliament yesterday, Minister G. L. Peiris said Sri Lanka has managed to extradite at least 50 Sri Lankans who were living in five foreign countries and action will be taken to extradite the others.  

“We have to probe whether there was any foreign hand behind the attacks, as even the dreaded LTTE could not set off bombs in the eight locations within hours. Those who did it would have planned for years before launching such heinous attacks,” he said.   Also he said it is essential to find out as to whether there was a political hand in getting the 60 swords released from customs. “Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith had gone to courts asking the judiciary to issue and order for a probe on the swords which are said to be hidden somewhere. However two police teams have already been deployed to look into the matter,” he said.  

“It is more important to ensure that there won’t be any similar attacks in the future and Sri Lankan government had already embarked on this endeavour,” he added.  Minister of Justice Ali Sabry said ordinary Muslims do not follow extremism as it is encouraged in the holy Quran. “Doctrine is not forced on any one as any person is entitled his own belief. You have been divided into various tribes to make you identify each other and love one another and not to hate one another,” he said quoting the Quran. He said the majority of Muslims have condemned the Easter Sunday attacks and have helped find the culprits.  

• Those who did it would have planned for years before launching such heinous attacks