Details began to emerge in Sri Lanka on Wednesday of a band of nine, well-educated Islamist suicide bombers, including a woman, from well-to-do families who slaughtered 359 people in Easter Sunday bomb attacks.
ISIS released an image of the suspected suicide bombers. Man with face uncovered was purported National Thowfeek Jamaath leader Moulvi Zahran Hashim, a Tamil-speaking preacher well-known for his militant views.
- Islamic State (IS) released a video late on Tuesday showing eight men, all but one with faces covered, standing under black Islamic State flag, declaring loyalty to leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi
- Most of the bombers well-educated, some went abroad for studies
- Two bombers were brothers, sons of wealthy spice trader
- The government suspects two Sri Lankan Islamist groups – the National Thawheed Jama’ut and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim were responsible – with outside help, possibly IS
- Counter-terror officers were warned about Zahran in 2016 and 2018
Two brothers from a wealthy spice trading family have emerged as masterminds in the suicide attacks on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka that killed more than 360 people.
Inshaf and Ilham were the sons of Mohammad Yusuf Ibrahim, one of Sri Lanka’s wealthiest spice traders, who lived in a grand three-storey home in a humble Colombo suburb.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the seven coordinated attacks on churches and hotels.
According to a Reuters report, a source close to the family said Inshaf Ibrahim, a 33-year-old copper factory owner, detonated his explosive device at the busy breakfast buffet of the luxury Shangri-La hotel.
Another source said when police raided the family’s home a day after the attacks, Inshaf’s younger brother, Ilham, detonated a bomb that killed him, his wife and the couple’s three children.
Yusuf was later arrested.
Inshaf (far right) alongside his father Yusuf in 2016.
The spice trader and pillar of the business community has six sons and three daughters.
A neighbour described the family as good people.
“They seemed like good people. The father (Yusuf) is famous in the area for helping the poor with food and money. It’s unthinkable his children could have done that,” said the neighbour Fathima Fazla.
“Because of what they have done, all Muslims are treated as suspects,” she added.
Ilham Ibrahim, 31, openly expressed extremist ideologies and had been involved in meetings of National Thowheed Jamath, a local Islamist group suspected of involvement in planning the attacks, according to a source close to the family.
Inshaf (L) and Ilham (R).
Inshaf was outwardly more moderate in his views and was known to be generous with donations to his staff and struggling local households, the source said. He was married to a daughter of a wealthy jewellery manufacturer and he faced no problems with money.
“I was shocked. We never thought they were this kind of people,” said Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, a 38-year-old network cabling engineer who works next door to the Ibrahim family home.
AFP reports today that Sri Lanka has deployed thousands of additional troops countrywide overnight to help police hunt for suspects in the Easter Sunday suicide blasts, a spokesman said today.
Brig Sumith Atapattu said the army increased its deployment by 1,300 to 6,300, with the navy and air force also deploying 2,000 more personnel.
“We are armed with powers to search, seize, arrest and detain under emergency regulations,” Atapattu told AFP.
“We are involved in static guard duties, patrolling and helping with cordon-and-search operations.”
The government also announced a ban on all drone flights and said licences issued to all commercial operators were suspended with immediate effect.
Police arrested another 16 suspects overnight with alleged ties to the NTJ extremist group accused of the blasts at three churches and three luxury hotels.
Police said about 75 people were now being interrogated in connection with the deadliest attack against civilians in the country’s history.
Related reports:
Apr 24, New Footage Shows Sri Lanka Suicide Bomber Entering Church
Apr 22, Three of Danish Billionaire’s Four Children Killed in Sri Lanka Attacks
Apr 22, Sri Lanka Lifts Curfew After Bomb Attacks Kill 290, Wound 500 on Easter Sunday