• A 46-year-old man from Matale was arrested on Thursday for promoting  extremist and radical ideologies in the country via social media

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

The Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) arrested two suspects who were involved in promoting various ideologies relating to extremism and terrorism using social media, Police Media Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.  

He said a 46-year-old man from Matale was arrested on Thursday for promoting extremist and radical ideologies in the country via social media.   
Police investigations disclosed that the suspect was deported from the UAE on December 5, 2020, for having indulged in numerous nefarious activities linked to radicalism, the Spokesman said.   He said the suspect had collected money from Sri Lankans living in the UAE and sent it for promoting extremism and terrorism.   “The suspect had used various social media platforms to promote his ideologies,” he said.    

Meanwhile, another 49-year-old man was taken into TID custody in the Kattankudy area in Batticaloa yesterday, DIG Rohana said.   

He said the suspect was found to have had links with promoting radicalist ideologies through social media especially Facebook.   It was brought to light that the suspect had promoted Wahhabism and extremist ideologies through Facebook, he said.   Police investigations disclosed that he was a keen follower of the main Easter Sunday attack culprit Zahran Hashim, DIG Ajith Rohana said.   He too was brought to the TID in Colombo and will be detained for further interrogations under the provision of PTA.