Maldives Immigration has refuted claims that a Sri Lankan national involved in the Easter Sunday attacks in the country traveled in the Maldives.
In a tweet posted by Maldives Immigration on Wednesday, they confirmed that the Sri Lankan national named Moulvi Zahran Hashim has not traveled to Maldives in the past five years or beyond that.
Rebutting reports in media alleging that the said individual visited the Maldives in said period, Immigration urged media organizations to verify information from concerned authorities before circulating it in the public, in order to avoid confusion and disruption.
“Maldives Immigration is aware of the current threat dynamics following the attack in Sri Lanka and will continue to work with local and international security agencies, prioritizing border security measures to counter terrorism and related cross-border crimes,” they said.
320 people died and over 500 people were wounded in a series of bomb blasts that targeted churches and high-end hotels in Sri Lanka. Over 40 people have been arrested in connection to the blasts, with ISIS claiming responsibility for the attacks. Zahran, who reported to be the mastermind behind the attacks died in the apparent suicide bombing.
