DNA testing to confirm Zaharan’s death

Saturday, 11 May 2019 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Court orders blood samples to be obtained from daughter and sister for checking

By Manopriya Gunasekera

Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday gave approval for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to conduct DNA testing on the remains of the suicide bomber suspected to be Zaharan Hashim.

Court ordered the Government Judicial Medical Officer to obtain a sample of Zaharan’s daughter and send it for testing. The samples from the daughter will be tested against samples obtained from part of Zaharan’s head that was recovered by the CID during investigations of the Shangri-La Hotel.

Blood samples from Zaharan’s elder sister Mohammad Cassim Madaniya will also be obtained. Madaniya is currently being held at the Batticaloa prison after being arrested by Police following the attacks.

Zaharan’s daughter was found alive in a safehouse in Kalmunai and was hospitalised along with her mother. Zaharan’s father and two brothers are believed to have died in the clashes that killed at least 15 people.

Zaharan is believed to have masterminded the attacks on Easter Sunday that killed over 250 people and injured about 500 people. He is said to have blown himself up at the Shangri-La hotel along with Ibrahim Illham.