Lanka continues crackdown on terror suspects; 16 held

Agencies
April 25, 2019

Colombo, Apr 25: Authorities in Sri Lanka continued their search operations with the help of army and arrested 16 more suspects in connection with the horrific Easter Sunday blasts in which more than 350 people were killed.

The arrested people were being interrogated at length by investigation sleuths in connection with the country's deadliest attack.

Nine suicide bombers, believed to be the members of a local Islamist extremist group National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels.

As many as 359 people have been killed in the attacks while 500 others injured, according to authorities.

Officials said that with the arrest of 16 more people on Wednesday, the total number of suspects under police custody has risen to 76.

Many of the arrested people have suspected links to the NTJ, the group blamed for the bombings. However, the NTJ has not claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks and identified suicide bombers who carried out the devastating blasts.

Authorities have deployed thousands of troops to help police carry out search operations.

Over 5,000 army personnel have been deployed around the country.

"During the last 24 hours, there have been no major incidents. We have deployed over 6,300 troops. This includes 1,000 from the Airforce and 600 from the Navy," military spokesman Brigadier Sumith Atapattu said.

Meanwhile, a minor explosion happened behind the magistrate's court at Pugoda, the western province town, 40 Kms north of Colombo. There was no immediate report of any casualty.

Search operations of suspected properties, arrests and detention of people and to place road blocks for such operations have been facilitated by the newly-enforced emergency regulations.

The regulations were adopted without a vote in Parliament on Wednesday.

The curfew which was imposed at 10 PM on Wednesday was lifted at 4 AM on Thursday.

President Maithripala Sirisena has convened an all-party meeting. He would meet religious leaders. Both parleys are to discuss the attacks dubbed as among the five deadliest terrorist attacks carried out since the 9/11 in the US.

Though Sirisena has asked police chief Pujith Jayasundera and defence ministry secretary Hemasiri Fernando to step down, there was no confirmation if they have resigned.

The police chief's position is an independent post determined by the Constitutional Council. He cannot be constitutionally removed unless he resigns himself or removed thorough a parliamentary procedure, officials said.

Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the head of the local catholic church, has asked all churches to stop masses until the situation improved, his office said.

On Wednesday, the Sri Lankan government admitted that "major" intelligence lapses led to the horrific coordinated attacks.

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News Network
October 29,2024

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At least 60 people, including children, have been killed in Israeli strikes on several areas in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, the Lebanese Health Ministry says.

The ministry said at least 58 people were also wounded in the attacks on 12 areas in the Bekaa Valley on Monday.

Of the 60 killed, at least 16 deaths were recorded in al-Alaq, west of Baalbek city, the ministry added.

The casualty figures were preliminary and are expected to rise as rescue efforts were still ongoing, according to to the ministry.

Baalbek governor Bachir Khodr denounced the attacks on the area as the "most violent" since the start of the Israeli aggression.

Israel has been targeting Lebanon since October 2023, when it launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah has been responding to the aggression with numerous retaliatory operations, including one with a hypersonic ballistic missile, targeting the occupied Palestinian territories.

Since late September, Israel has escalated its strikes against Hezbollah, killing its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and a number of its senior figures.

At least 2,710 people have been killed by Israeli fire, and 12,592 others wounded since the clashes began last year, the health ministry says.

The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its operations against Israel as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed at least 43,020 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

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News Network
October 29,2024

Nagpur: Police in Maharashtra's Nagpur have identified 35-year-old Jagdish Uikey from Gondia as the man behind a series of hoax bomb threats that caused widespread panic, flight delays, and increased security at various establishments across the state, officials revealed.

Uikey, an author who wrote a book on terrorism and was previously arrested in 2021, is now on the run after police traced the recent hoax emails to him, confirmed a senior police official. The investigation, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shweta Khedkar, uncovered substantial evidence linking Uikey to the threatening emails.

These emails were sent to multiple government agencies, including the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Railway Minister, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, airline offices, the Director General of Police (DGP), and the Railway Protection Force (RPF). On October 21, Uikey even emailed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, leading to heightened security at railway stations.

On Monday, the Nagpur police intensified security around Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis's residence after Uikey’s email threatened a protest unless he could present his findings on a secret terror code he claimed to have deciphered. He also requested a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss his information on terror threats.

In the 13 days leading up to October 26, Indian carriers received over 300 hoax bomb threats, with about 50 flights— including those of IndiGo and Air India— targeted on October 22 alone, sources said.

A special team has been deployed to locate and arrest Uikey, and authorities remain confident that he will be apprehended soon.

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News Network
October 27,2024

Mangaluru, Oct 27: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta has been appointed to the consultative committee of the Ministry of Defence. 

This esteemed committee, led by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, comprises 14 members from the Lok Sabha, six from the Rajya Sabha, and two nominated members. 

Capt. Chowta is among the 14 members selected from the Lok Sabha to represent the voice of the people in this critical sector.

The committee is tasked with providing expert advice to the government on key defence policies, implementation strategies, and national security matters.

Meetings will be held regularly to ensure informed, timely guidance on these crucial issues, according to a press release from MP Chowta's office.

“With our country making strides towards self-reliance in defence under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it’s an honour to serve as a member of the Ministry of Defence Advisory Committee. As both a soldier and a parliamentarian, this role is a true privilege,” expressed Capt. Chowta.

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