Funds worth Rs.one bn in bank accounts of those arrested in Horowpathana

It was revealed that there were funds amounting to Rs. one billion in the bank accounts belonging to the five suspects, who were arrested in Horowpathana yesterday on suspicion of having links with the National Thowheed Jama'at (NTJ) and its leader Zahran Hashim, a senior police official told the Daily Mirror.

Among those arrested were a development officer attached to the Horowpathana Divisional Secretariat, a teacher of a government school in Horowpathana, two teachers of an Arabic college in Kiwulekada and a resident of Kebithigollewa.

Police said the suspects had delivered extremist sermons in Anuradhapura and Trincomalee.

It was revealed that these suspects had also received funds from the NTJ via one of the suspects of the Easter Sunday attacks, who is abroad.

Police said these suspects had received armed training at the Horowpathana jungle two years ago with the participation of several other individuals. (Nimanthi Ranasinghe, Pathum Darshana and Dayarathna Embogama)