The government has issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification proscribing eleven extremist organizations in Sri Lanka on April 13.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued the relevant Gazette notification under Section 27 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, No 48 of 1979 read with the provisions of the Constitution.
According to the Gazette notification specified as the Prevention of Terrorism (Proscription of Extremist Organizations) Regulations No.2 of 2021, United Tawheed Jamma’ath (UTJ), Ceylon Tawheed Jamma’ath (CTJ), Sri Lanka Tawheed Jamma’ath (SLTJ), All Ceylon Tawheed Jamma’ath (ACTJ), Jamiyathul Ansaari Sunnathul Mohomadiya (JASM) alias Jamma’ath Ansaaris Sunnathil Mohomadiya Organization alias All Ceylon Jam-E- Athu Ansaris Sunnathil Mohammadiya alias Ansaris Sunnathil Mohammadiya Association alias Jama’ath Ansaris Sunnathil Mohammadiya, Dharul Adhar alias Jamiul Athar Mosque alias Dharul Athar Quran Madrasa alias Dharul Aadhaar Ath’thabawiyya, Sri Lanka Islamic Students Movement (SLISm) alias Jamia, Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS) alias Al-Dawalah al- Islamiah Dawala Islamia, Al-Qaeda, Save the Pearls alias Save the Pearls Society and Super Muslim Organization have been proscribed.
Gazette notification further said that any person who conspires to commit or attempts, abets or engage in any conducts in preparation to commit an offense in contravention of regulations such as obtaining membership, dealing with their members, promoting such organization, providing refuge for members, donating money or materials, or engaging in any transaction which are prohibited, shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment not exceeding twenty years.
The Extraordinary Gazette Notification states that the movable or immovable property of the members of such organizations could also be confiscated.
On April 7, Attorney General Dappula de Livera had granted permission to ban these 11 Muslim Extremists Organizations upon a request made by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
In 2019, former President Maithripala Sirisena had proscribed three organizations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act following the Easter Sunday attacks that took place on April 21, 2019.
According to the Gazette Notification specified as the Prevention of Terrorism (Proscription of Extremist Organizations) Regulations No.1 of 2019, National Thowheed Jama’ath (NTJ), Jama’athe Milla’athe Ibrahim (JMI) and Willayath As Seylani have been banned.
