Colombo: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are not only known for its act of terrorism around the world but also it is known for radicalizing people to walk on the path of Jihad. Many says people walk on this due to their poor economic conditions, however, the recent bombings in Sri Lanka tells a different story.
It was the sons and daughters-in-law of spice tycoon who carried out the suicide bombing attacks in Sri Lanka. The main leader was Zahran Hashim.
As per Sri Lankan authorities Inshaf and Ilham Ibrahim, sons of one of Sri Lanka wealthiest spice traders, possibly financed the whole plot. In a final voicemail to his wife, authorities said, Inshaf listed the money owed to him from various people, provided advice on which of the couple cars to sell, and told her, “I am going to God.”
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As per the officials the posh people of Sri Lanka had more time and resources to surf the internet and find extremist material than those who had to devote all their energies to making ends meet.
One of the bombers had travelled to Syria. Another trained in Turkey. One man arrested hours after the attacks had travelled between Sri Lanka and Syria, leading investigators to identify him as a possible middleman between the Islamic State and Sri Lankan militants.
Counter-terrorism experts believe that many Sri Lankans knew that the Islamic State was eyeing them but that multiple warnings went unheeded.
After Justice Minister of Sri Lanka told the parliament about the ISIS movement in Sri Lanka, a group of moderate Muslims presented police officials with 11 files on local Islamist extremists, including Zaharan Hashim, whom they identified as the “leader of ISIS team in Sri Lanka.”
The former Justice Minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe who had warned the Si Lankan parliament said, “I’m frustrated, but more than that, I am pained. I was carefully watching their movements. I knew the Islamic State was preparing for an attack here. Nobody listened.
As per Sri Lankan officials, say they are “95 percent finished” with the investigation and feel confident that they have arrested nearly all the accomplices — 140 people have been identified as suspects — and have recovered their explosives, found during several raids.