The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday told Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake that terrorist Zahran Hashim had died in the suicide attack on Shangri-La Hotel on Easter Sunday.
The investigators also told the Fort Magistrate that the Zahran’s sister is in the Batticaloa remand prison and sought an order to perform a DNA test pertaining to body parts of the suicide bomber using his sister’s blood samples.
The Magistrate ordered the Government Analyst to perform a DNA test on Zahran who is also said to be a leader of National Thowheed Jamath and hand over the relevant report to the CID.
The Magistrate also ordered the government analyst to conduct a test on the body parts of the suicide bomber to ascertain whether these body parts contained chemical substances, on a request made by the CID.
The Government Analyst’s department was also ordered to conduct an investigation to ascertain whether seven vehicles seized by the CID in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks were actually used for the transport of explosive devices.
Lawyers who appeared on behalf of the these vehicle owners told court that these vehicles were only used for passenger transport.
The Magistrate after taking the submissions made by them into consideration ordered the CID to release them, if investigations conducted by the Government Analyst proved that they were not used for the transport of explosives.
CID officials stated that investigations are under way to ascertain whether exporter Ibrahim Mohammed had received funds from international organizations to channel funds for the terrorist organization.
CID officials told court that an accountant of Ishana Enterprises belonging to Ibrahim Mohammed has been arrested and is being questioned.
They noted that rooms for the suicide bombers who blew themselves up at Shangri-La and Kingsbury Hotels were reserved by one person and he had also died in the blast.
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