Police in Sri Lanka have disclosed that an extremist preacher, Zahran Hashim who played a key role in the Sri Lanka bombings died during the attacks.
The leader of the local militant group, National Tawheed Jamaat known for his extremist speeches on social media is reportedly dead and the second in command has been arrested according to the local Police’s official Twitter account.
Zahran Hashim in a video footage had earlier appeared in a video pledging alliance to ISIS alongside 7 others. There are currently 140 IS suspects in Sri Lanka.
Security has been heightened as Military poured into the streets to search for suspects related to the attacks. The Muslim Affairs Minister has urged mosques to cancel solidarity prayers and suspend all public services due to security concerns.
The government has warned against a backlash as some Muslim refugees close to the location of one of the bombed churches in Negombo have fled due to fear of retaliation.