Four out of the six Maldivian men arrested in Sri Lanka in connection to the terrorist attack that took place on April 21 have been released.
Four engineering students residing on Negombo, Sri Lanka were arrested after an air gun issued under a fake license was discovered in their home during a search operation following the attacks. Maldivian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Umar Abdul Razzaq has confirmed that the four students have now been released by the court on Monday.
However, the remaining two men, in whose home a book on the Islamist organization Islamic State (IS) was found have been remanded until May 10. AVAS understands that the book belongs to a Maldivian international relations student currently on holiday in Maldives.
While the hunt for the perpetrators behind Sunday’s attack is in full swing, random house searches are being carried out all over Sri Lanka. During such searches, residences where Maldivians are staying at are also being inspected, and issues of expired visas of Maldivians have been noticed by Sri Lankan authorities.
Over 15,000 Maldivians reside in Sri Lanka, with many Maldivians describing the neighboring island nation as their second home. It has been reported that Maldivians are suffering the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, with women wearing the hijab not being allowed into large supermarkets and shops. The Sri Lankan government on Monday banned the face veil in an effort to assist the defense forces in finding the people who orchestrated the attack.
253 people died and over 500 people were wounded in a series of bomb blasts that targeted churches and high-end hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Over 40 people have been arrested in connection to the blasts, with ISIS claiming responsibility for the attacks.
