The Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) had arrested a Registrar of Marriages from the Oluvil area on charges of aiding and abetting Easter Sunday suicide bomber Zaharan Hashim and providing accommodation to five persons prior to the Easter Sunday Terror Attacks.
Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said that the 55-year-old Registrar has been identified as Ahamadu Lebbe Subaddheen.
The Police Media Spokesman said that five persons including the Easter Sunday suicide bomber Zaharan had clashed with a group who were against their views in the Aliyar area in Kattankudy in 2017.
“Zaharan had assaulted a group of persons who had expressed views against Zaharan’s ideology. Thereafter, Zaharan had been missing for some time and he was provided accommodation by this person in Oluvil. This person was identified on Sunday and was thereafter arrested by the TID.”
DIG Ajith Rohana said that two of the five suspects who were hiding in the Registrar of Marriages’ house were Moulavies and they are also being detained by the Terrorism Investigation Sub-Division and interrogated in Batticaloa.
The Registrar of Marriages would be brought to Colombo subsequently and detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTI). Zaharan Hashim, his brother Rilwan and another person were among those who committed suicide in the Easter Sunday Terror Attacks. Further investigations are continuing.
