Four foreign nationals among 153 detained in Easter bombings investigation: Police

The Sri Lankan Police yesterday revealed that they were holding 153 people in remand custody and under Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) detention orders as part of investigations into the Easter Sunday bombings, including four Maldivian nationals. 

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, DIG Ajith Rohana said that INTERPOL, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) were closely assisting the Sri Lankan inquiry which is now nearly 10 months old. 

"We have specialist assistance from explosives experts, DNA analysts and forensic scientists, including those who are specialists in digital and cyber forensic analysis, for our investigations," he said. 

The Police suspect that six Sri Lankans repatriated from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are connected to the Easter Sunday attack and credit INTERPOL for assisting in the quick repatriation of the suspects.   

According to DIG Rohana, a total of 216 suspects had been arrested, including six women, during the course of the investigation. Nine firearms, including three T-56 assault rifles, have been discovered during the investigations and the Police suspect that some of them may have been kept ready for a second attack. 

Rohana also pointed out that nearly 40 individuals were being detained for defacing the Mawanella Buddha statue. 

Police are investigating the links between those individuals, the Easter Sunday bombers and related groups. Police are also investigating two individuals who are suspected of promoting radical extremism online.