Leaked document indicates Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was aware of the Easter attack in Sri Lanka

Special instructions from Saudi Arabia to Embassy on Easter Attack

NewsFirst (Sri Lanka),

4 May, 2019

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Lebanese news outlet Alahed News reports that they have obtained a top-secret document sent by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Saudi Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Abdul Nasser al-Harethi.

The letter which was sent 5 days prior to the attack seems to indicate that the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was aware of the attack that took place on Easter Sunday.

The letter signed by Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz al-Assaf instructs the Ambassador to carry out the following steps.

“First: You should delete all documents, computer data and latest correspondence with domestic and foreign members and groups, in addition to imposing a curfew for the embassy personnel unless it is necessary.

Second: You should inform all those related to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including counsellors, security forces and intelligence during the three coming days, especially on the Christian Easter Day, to avoid presence in public and crowded places namely churches.

Third: You should send written news about the Sri Lankan authorities and their viewpoints regularly to this ministry …”

However, 2 days ago the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Sri Lanka advised its nationals to leave Sri Lanka, due to the prevailing situation in the country.

The embassy, in a tweet, said;

“Due to the current security situation in the Republic of Sri Lanka, the embassy advises citizens in Sri Lanka to leave.”

Sri Lanka fears more attacks as Ramadan looms

Newshub,

5 May, 2019

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena says his security forces would "eradicate terrorism" following devastating suicide attacks on Easter Sunday and restore stability before a presidential election due by year-end.

Sirisena also said in an interview he believed Islamic State (IS) was behind the April 21 attacks, which targeted churches and luxury hotels and killed more than 250 people including 42 foreign nationals. The group has claimed responsibility.

"Elections cannot be postponed, therefore before the elections I will bring about stability and I will eradicate terrorism," Sirisena told Reuters on Saturday.

The presidential vote is likely to take place between November 10 and December 10 and sources close to Sirisena say he would seek re-election.

"We have already identified all active members of the group and it's a case of now arresting them," Sirisena said, adding that there were a further 25 to 30 "active members" linked to the bombings still at large.

Sirisena said all indications suggested IS had been involved, adding: "It's crystal clear because after the attacks the IS organisation made an announcement claiming responsibility for the bombings."

Sri Lanka authorities have previously said they suspect the attackers had international links, although the precise nature of those connections is not known.

Police have said two previously little-known groups - National Thawheedh Jamaath and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim - carried out the bombings.

Sirisena said intelligence services from eight countries, including the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Interpol, were helping Sri Lanka with the investigation.

Local intelligence officials believe Zahran Hashim, a radical Tamil-speaking preacher from the east of the Indian Ocean island nation, may have been a key player in plotting the bombings. Officials believe he was one of nine suicide bombers.

Sirisena said the military and police have made huge progress with their investigations, but emphasised that more needs to be done.

"There are another 25-30 suspects still at large, but there is no information yet to say these suspects are suicide bombers."

Scores of suspected Islamists have been arrested after the Easter attacks

Sri Lanka's security forces were on high alert amid intelligence reports that militants were likely to strike before the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, due to begin on Monday.

The government has banned women from wearing face veils under an emergency law that was put in place after the attacks.

"This is not a Sri Lanka issue, it's a global terrorist movement," Sirisena said.

"Even advanced countries like the US, Russia, UK, Germany, India and Australia together haven't been able to completely eradicate this IS global terrorism menace."

Sri Lanka's leaders, including the president, have come under heavy criticism for failing to heed warnings from Indian intelligence services - at least three in April alone - that an attack was imminent.

Critics said infighting between the president and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had undermined the response to the militant threat. But Sirisena said he and the prime minister were co-operating on national security issues.

The tourism sector has grown rapidly in the last decade since the Sri Lankan government defeated the rebel Tamil Tigers. Around 2.5 million tourists visit the island nation each year.

"It's a big blow to the economy, as well as the tourism industry," Sirisena said. "For the economy to develop it's important tourism to return to where it was before the attacks."

Reuters