By S. I. Keethaponcalan –
Dr. S. I. Keethaponcalan
Not many analysts and researchers paid attention to the nexus between Sri Lanka and ISIS until the Easter Sunday Massacre of 2019, where more than 250 people were killed and a large number of people were maimed. Characteristically, a lot has been said, written and published on this subject since the massacre. One of the pieces that has attracted much attention is an interview given by Jonah Blank. It was published with the title “ISIS did not Choose Sri Lanka, but Sri Lankan Group Chose ISIS: RAND.” Nilantha Ilangamuwa conducted the interview. The piece appeared on several newspapers and weblogs and was translated into local languages.
The central theory presented in this interview is miss leading, if not erroneous, and it could also have significant policy and operational implications. Hence, this article aims to highlight the flaws from my perspective.
Blank Theory
Jonah Blank works as a researcher and political analyst for the Rand Corporation, which is a nonprofit international think tank funded by the United States government and private donations. According to Nilantha Ilangamuwa, Blank has two significant views about the “Easter Sunday bombings.” They are: (1) “the attack was a result of the political negligence than its accounting as intelligence failure by many parties,” and (2) “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) did not choose Sri Lanka, but the Sri Lankan extremists chose ISIS.”
One could agree or disagree with the first assumption. Was the attack a result of political infighting between the President and the Prime Minister? I believe that the failure to prevent the attack had something to do with the power struggle at the very top level and inefficiency. The attack was a result of radicalization of Zahran Group or the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ). It is possible that there is more than one group in Sri Lanka. However, that is not the problem here. The problem is with the second argument, which seems to have attracted considerable attention in Sri Lanka.
The argument that ISIS did not choose Sri Lanka, but the Sri Lankan group chose ISIS entails several flaws for multiple reasons. Important of them are:
1. It underestimates the significance of South Asia, especially India to ISIS,
2. It overestimates the capacity of the NTJ (and other groups), and
3. It could lead the Sri Lankan law enforcement bodies to complacency and even inaction if believed.
India and South Asia
The idea that ISIS did not choose Sri Lanka and it was the Sri Lankan groups that chose ISIS implies that ISIS has no interest in Sri Lanka. Blank suggests that ISIS just offered “skill-set and training” presumably because the Sri Lankan group wanted them from the global jihadists. This notion completely ignores the significance of South Asia and India to ISIS.
ISIS has expansive ambitions and strives to establish a “global caliphate.” As part of its global agenda, the organization has accelerated its activities in such countries as Egypt, Indonesia, Somalia, and the Philippines. South Asia is a part of the agenda, most likely due to the presence of a sizable Muslim population. In an essay entitled, “The Fall of ISIS and Its Implications for South Asia,” Kabir Taneja claimed that “South Asia’s complex socio-political and socio-cultural narratives remain an open door to ISIS’s marketable fantasy, more than an ideology.”
Deep penetration of ISIS could be identified in, for example, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Reportedly, ISIS has been active in territories between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The significance of Pakistan cannot be ignored as some talk of Isisization of Pakistan.
India has become an ISIS focal point in the last five years. A map published by ISIS in 2014 included the Western regions of India as a part of its global caliphate. In a symbolic move, ISIS also declared India as one of its provinces (Wilayah of Hind) in 2019. In the recent past, it has also asked its agents in the region to carry out attacks on India. The organization pays particular attention to recruitment in India primarily through social media.
The question is, why would ISIS not have an interest in Sri Lanka when South Asia and India have become a significant part of its plans. Compared to many other states of South Asia, Sri Lanka is an open society. It has a sizable and significant Muslim population and a small group of radicalized Muslim youth.
Sri Lanka’s location in the Indian Ocean is a blessing as well as a curse. The location has attracted too many foreign actors, some with ulterior motives. If one wants to infiltrate India, Sri Lanka is an ideal place. This goes to ISIS as well. A recent NDTV report suggested that “15 ISIS terrorists had set off from Sri Lanka to the Lakshadweep islands” of Kerala. This could be an important story in this unfolding saga. I would not be surprised if foreign nationals, including Indians, were trained in the alleged training camp discovered in Kurunegala.
Since the threat from ISIS is too severe, India is keeping a close watch on the ISIS activities in the region. This perhaps led to the intelligence that Sri Lanka was going to be attacked. Indians passed this information on to their Sri Lankan counterparts, who unfortunately ignored the warning. Therefore, one cannot say that ISIS did not choose Sri Lanka. In fact, Blank does not make this assertion with confidence. He only stated, “it appears” that ISIS did not choose Sri Lanka.
Danger
Blank’s assertion that ISIS merely extended “skill-set and training” when the Sri Lankan group “chose” or approached ISIS for support, overestimates Zahran Group’s capacity. Initially, it was a small group with radical ideologies and was involved in minor offenses. Some of them were known for vandalism. One cannot expect ISIS, a global institution with universal aspirations, to simply extend support and remain uninterested. The reported sums of money unearthed from suspects were jaw-dropping for a small group like the NTJ. The enormous resources the group possessed do not suggest mere support and training from ISIS.
The critical problem with Blank’s theory is that it could induce complacency and inaction within the law enforcement agencies. In other words, if believed, Blank’s underlying assumption that ISIS has no interest in Sri Lanka could have grave policy, and practical implications. So many suspects have already been arrested throughout the country, and some of the government leaders have been suggesting that the danger has been brought under control. If it is mere local violence, the problem has been nipped in the bud rather quickly.
What if it is more than local violence and an ISIS backed danger is still present? That would mean another catastrophe in Sri Lanka or the region. I presume that Sri Lankan authorities do not know much about ISIS strategies and tactics and they most likely are learning only now. However, senseless unimaginably brutal violence is ISIS’s M.O. Sri Lanka cannot afford another mass killing.
Therefore, Sri Lankans should take the assertion that “ISIS did not choose Sri Lanka” with a pinch of salt. The likely scenario is that sensing the presence of radicalized and willing group or groups of Muslim youth in a strategically significant location, ISIS exploited them to further its global agenda. The Sri Lankan group became a vulnerable target of powerful propaganda and recruitment schemes of ISIS.
Dilshan / May 29, 2019
Complete mis interpretation by.an ignorant writter.
Blank did not say ISIS has no interest.in.Sri Lanka. But local radicals took the initiative. Local radicals were rightly so angered by the violence agsinst the Muslims with no protection from state but only support for violence
They got the support from ISIS
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SJ / May 29, 2019
Dilshan
You have got a far truer picture than the writer and other pundits.
I will dare add a factor that contributed to the frustration, namely the absolute failure of their elected leaders.
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Don Stanley / May 29, 2019
Johan Blank said that IS is a “franchise”, like a US corporation, like Mac Donalds or KFC,
Blank who works for Rand and has been weaponizing Islam in Indonesia and South and Southeast Asia, revealed the US corporate model on which IS terror franchise is based,
IS is a US franchise. IS was set up by CIA with Saudi to weaponize religion, destabilize countries, spread violence and Islamophobia and cause attacks on Muslims and destroy multicultural societies.
This CIA project is also on going in Myanmar against the Rohingya. Please see this link
https://www.transcend.org/tms/2017/10/shifting-blame-as-us-agenda-unfolds-in-myanmar/
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Kalupahana / May 30, 2019
More info on why CIA chose Sri Lanka for the Easter massacre- to set up its Logistics Hub military base and launch the COld War on China to crash the rise of Asia on the world stage. The crashing US empire is the biggest rogue state in the world, selling trillions worth of weapons to militarize the planet after starting hundreds of proxy wars in Africa, Middleeast, Asia and Latin America
https://www.voltairenet.org/article199706.html
In any case, the distribution of the jihadists seems to be a function of opportunity and ethnic origins. For example, Abdullah Sufuni, the ex-Emir of Aleppo, took the side of the US in revenge for the losses incurred during the Turkish invasion of Iraq. The Caucasian jihadists, on the other hand, took sides with Turkey because they have entertained close relations with Ankara for thirty years.
– 4. Although the Pentagon has abandoned the idea of creating a State to cut the communications route linking the Mediterranean to Iran and China, it has not abandoned Admiral Arthur Cebrowski’s strategy aimed at the destruction of the societies and States of the « non-globalised world » [7]. Some of Daesh’s combatants have thus been recuperated in order to pursue this plan, acting as auxiliary Special Forces.
In this context, the jihadists have been moved by the US armies to the Indian sub-continent, to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, to Bangladesh and Myanmar (but not Sri Lanka), as was revealed by Zamir Kabulov, Vladimir Putin’s special envoy to Afghanistan.
They absolutely need corrupt govts. In Sri lanka every govt, since the JRJ time, the govt is corrupt and if they try to go out of that, they would be killed.
There are so many articles which published years ago and talk these things. all are about the importance of Sri lanka in Pivot to Asia program.
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Burt / May 30, 2019
Dilshan
I am not sure whether the writer or you who is ignorant,
Muslims did not chose ISIS nor did the Tamils chose LTTE.
It is the criminality of the majority race and religion repeatedly towards the minority that made a small portion of that minority think that they had a way out defending themselves and their community by fighting back.
Tamils created many groups but the Muslims decided to join hands with a group to its plight.
I don’t justify or condone violence but until you recognise the problem you will not find a solution. Sinhala Buddhist racists would have had it worse if not for twin towers and ISIS hate against the west and its allies.
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Ayathuray Rajasingam / May 29, 2019
For almost over 5 years I was writing some articles in the Colombo Telegraph on Islamic Terrorism in Sri Lanka and how the Muslim Ministers were facilitating from all quarters. Apart from these I also wrote in the CEYLON EXPRESS and the YAHOO NEWS abount Islamic terrorism. It is all happening. For instance I even mentioned that it is likely to begin the Kott Roti restaurant which actually took place last year. He even mentioned about the links with the ISIS and mentioned that there are about 82 suspected ISIS terrorists and the links are from Kerala. Now it appears that there are thousands of suspected ISIS terrorists. Now seen what happened there are also cases of sterilization at the hospitals in Kurunegala and Kandy. There is also a case of a Muslim male teacher who had falsely accompanied a Hindu priest, who had mixed contraceptive pills in the Panchamirtham (sweet Prasadam) and eventually was arrested. The foundation for Islamic terrorism was laid by the late Minister Ashroff who was instrumental for the transport of arms & ammunition to the East when he was Minister of Harbour. Why is the government reluctant to arrest Rishard Badurdeen Hisbullah and Asath Ali when there are more evidences. Muslim Ministers were generally facilitating for the establishment of a Islamic Region with no-go-zones. The fund and land were provided by the Sinhalese politicians. These Muslim Ministers are playing with the lives of the people. The Buddhist priests are reasonable to raise their concern as this has become a national issue. Has the petro-dollars closed the eyes of the politicians.
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Amarasiri / May 30, 2019
Ayathuray Rajasinghsm,
Newton’s third law. For every action , there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Aristotle: Cause and ef.
In Sri Lanka, the cause is Para-Sinhala Para-Buddhism, and the state sponsorship and not apprehending the culprits. There is no law and order, and unequal application of law and order, when even the president carried out an unconstitutional coup.
Ask the Tamils. Ask the LTTE,. Ask the Muslims.. Ask the Christians. Cause: Para-Sinhala Para-Buddhism , where Para-Sinhala “Buddhism “ is given a special place.
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SJ / May 30, 2019
A
Has anything in science been worse abused than Newton’s Third Law of Motion?
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Jadon / May 29, 2019
This debate between various US and Singapore terrorism experts, as to whether IS chose Sri Lanka or Sri Lanka chose IS, is to meant to confuse and muddy the waters. A Red Herring so to speak.
The fact is that it was the United States and its Saudi proxy that chose Sri Lanka for a Hollywood style “shock and awe” attack on Easter Sunday.. Many other intelligence analysts have showed that US and Saudi, fund, own and operate IS.
Also, the same Eastern Province in Sri Lanka where IS wants to set up its Caliphate according to Rohan Gunareatne and Keethaponkalan also has the coveted Trincomalee deep sea natural harbor, where the US government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and SOFA agreement had plans to a logistics Hub, code for military base.
There appears to be an interesting convergence of IS and US government interests in Sri Lanka;s Eastern Province that has the Trincomallee deep sea port.
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taraki / May 29, 2019
Excellent article. Forewarned is forearmed.
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Douglas / May 29, 2019
Any “TERRORIST GROUP” without doubt selects the BEST FERTILE ground to grow and thrive. That “Fertile Ground” was provide since Sri Lanka “Political Vagabonds” started establishing power through “King Makers” – so called “Minority Representative” in Parliament. So all the successive Governments have committed this “CRIME” and the Innocent People are paying the price, whereas NONE of these “225” vagabonds and their families are not made to suffer, but LOOKED AFTER and PROTECTED . This man identified as the leader “SHARAN” was ordered to be arrested “THREE” time by the courts, mind you on possession of explosives and related incidents; yet no Law Enforcement Agency ever took appropriate action and neither the Political Authority cared to examine why action was not taken. So what more than such type of a country, where the Law Enforcement and the STATE are “INACTIVE” than any other place for any “TERRORIST GROUP” to choose and grow.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / May 29, 2019
ISIS did not choose Sri Lanka, it was Sri Lanka which chose ISIS. ISIS terrorism started only in 2014 in the aftermath of American attempt to topple Syrian government, while Muslim terrorism was in existence since 1985 with the formation of home guards in the eastern province. All successive governments in Sri Lanka turned a blind eye to the activities of these Muslim terrorists first in order to contain LTTE and after the war ended to suppress Tamils. As long as they committed crime on Tamils, it was OK for every government in power, and it is now exposed that defense ministry funds were given to Muslim terror groups to harass Tamils. Politicians in both government and opposition want everything to be swept under, as several top people have received money from backers of Muslim terror groups. ISIS saw an opportunity to infiltrate due to government actively permitting Muslim terrorism to carry on to attack Tamils, and take control to execute their agenda. Even this Easter attack was known to politicians in both government and opposition who wanted to make use of it for their benefit. As the activity of these Muslim terror groups were in Tamil areas, they thought that bombing will be in churches and hotels in eastern province and victims will be Tamils and foreigners and did not take any action to prevent it. But those terrorists had different ideas and bombed Colombo killing Sinhalese and damaging economy. There is a concerted attempt by politicians of both sides to save several Muslim politicians, businessmen and professional who are actively involved who have at some stage been their supporters politically or financially.
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Punchi Point / May 30, 2019
Aiyoo Sankaralingam, You think ISIS cares about Tamils a mere 10% minority? LMAO. Get real, you idiotic man. ISIS does not care about Tamils or Sinhalese, they are after western interests in the region. If ISIS was after the Tamils, they would have attacked Hindu temples and if ISIS was after the Sinhalese they would have attacked Buddhist temples.
ISIS has been in the making for a long time and was in operation from the time USA invaded Iraq in 2003. ISIS is what the so-called Al-Queda in Iraq morphed into. They changed names and re-branded a few times before settling for the ISIS set-up. The the ideology is more or less the same, ISIS being more vicious and encompassing a larger area. Its something like the Tamil New Tigers re-branding as the LTTE.
It is preposterous to suggest that our government would allow foreign or even local terrorist groups to operate in our country. Which government in the world does that? Our army was quite capable of handling the Tamil terrorists without the aid of home guards. Most of the Home guards were Sinhalese and they were there to protect their immediate neigbourhood from the Tamil terrorists who used to jump into villages and hack to death innocent Sinhalese and Muslims.
Tamils, after doing hundreds of suicide bombing killing thousands of Sinhalese and Muslims now pretend to be innocent babies. ISIS and the LTTE are two sides of the same coin. They inflict terror on people for political agendas. BTW how do you explain the Tamil woman Pulasthini Rajendran being one of the ISIS suicide bombers? The Tamil woman had specifically said that it is not enough bombing churches, that they should attack Buddhist temples too.
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Mallaiyuran / May 30, 2019
Come on Punchi, don’t you even watch Rupavahini?
First, New King set it up to be attacked on Sinhala-Tamil New Year celebration. After setting it up, he wanted to go to Ezhumalaiyan. Something went wrong. So set set it up again for Sinhala – Tamil Easter day and went to Ezhumalaiyan. Whether it was New Year or Easter, it was aimed on Tamils & their properties. Of cause New Year might have brought more Tamils to Ponnambalam Vanesar, Mamanga Pillayar or Chilaw Siva temple. But they settled with lessor crowd of Tamils and additionally taking few foreigners into it, for the missing Tamils. Anyway this was to teach a lesson to Tamils for having a resolution passed in UNHRC with the help of West. For the second was the better choice for them.
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Punchi Point / June 1, 2019
It is unbelievable that you can twist this tragedy in a such a sick way to try to make it into a Tamil issue. You are practically crazy – mad with ethnic jealousy and hatred towards the Sinhalese. Sinhalese and Srilanka have better things to do than teach you Tamils lessons. What UNHCR resolution are you talking about? Do you mean to say that UNHCR supports Tamil terrorism?
What kind of sick allegations are these? Do you mean to say that the government and the Sinhalese wanted to hit the Tamils so they ordered the ISIS to attack Catholic churches and hotels? FYI anybody who knows the country knows that except for the Zion church in Batticoloa, in all the other places the victims will be Sinhalese and foreigners, and it is the Sinhalese who have majour interests in these hotels.
Out of the some 253 victims only about 50 are Tamils. This is the information I have. Do you have different information? I would like to know. The St. Sebastian church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo would be the last place somebody wanting to kill Tamils would attack, as it is an all Sinhalese parish. The outcome of the attacks shows this too – out of the 93 deaths, 92 were Sinhalese and 1 Muslim (a child who had accompanied a Sinhalese friend to watch easter celebrations).
FYI, Tamil terrorists travelled to Middle-east and trained with Islamic terrorists. Cinnamon Grand, then known as Lanka Oberoi was bombed by Tamil terrorists (EROS) in 1984. In this attack on Easter Sunday of 2019, after 35 years too there was Tamil collaboration and contribution to the attacks, namely in the form of Pulasthini Rajendran. What do you have to say about that?
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Pandi Kutti / May 30, 2019
Shut up mad lying extremist. Trying to condone the state sponsored genocide and war crimes on the island’s Thamizh and Chingkalla and low caste South Indian origin Thulluka extremism. Are you one of these lying, selfish, backstabbing fake Arab South Indian origin Thullkans?
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target / May 29, 2019
Because Sri Lanka is their soft target and easy to start a full-fledged internal war with the Country’s tract record of Communal riots .
Wimalsamy is trying hard to do exactly that.
Dont know how much saharan paid him and His friend Slave Island Swords Tuan kaka whom he had a close up foto
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Corey / May 29, 2019
More likely, CIA and the West chose Sri Lanka for this horrendous act. :)
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Mallaiyuran / May 30, 2019
Jonah Blank’s statement stand to be corrected “ ISIS didn’t come to Lankawe, but Appe Aanduwa hired ISIS mercenaries to attack Tamils interest”.
Media predict during or after the New Year a certain sunning action from New King. Some even predicted Ranil being arrest before the PM position would be changed. This was supposed to happen after he returns from Eelumalaiyan’s visit. But they said he was maintaining very high secrecy as October Revolution failed because media broke the news prematurely. But as they had brought out some elements on this plan too, he cancelled his Eelumalaiyan Visit. Then he reprogramed everything from New Year to Easter Sunday.
ISIS only well wished the attack in the statement it released. ISIS said it was happy to hear the attack news at the time they had lost Iraq. It didn’t go to give any details of the attack to assume it did the planning phase. America suspected even that video statement was morphed. Aanduwa cordoned and killed the family in their hide out in Sainthamaruthu. Aanduwa accepted it was incapable of managing the hide out family’s phones even after the suicide. But Aanduwa did not take responsibility to explain how the family’s statement was taped and relayed out of a newly rented house. The tape did not have the survived members depicted in it. It is not ISIS’s culture to record on cell phone and relay statements. A running away team of ISIS would not run with cellphones and hide with them on. But if Aanduwa had not bombed that family, cell phones and all the network devices used by that family could have been recovered. But it was Aanduwa’s games suppressing all those evidences from that house.
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Mallaiyuran / May 30, 2019
ISIS = IS = ISIL. The second one is “Islamic State” but the third one is more explanatory, relevant, more often used i.e “Islamic state of Iraq and Levant”. Levant is countries southeast to Mediterranean Sea. The revival of the Ottoman Empire is the main object of ISIS. So the caliphate is not including India, Pakistan, China, Philippines, Japan……..Most of the attack took place in India was either Pakistani or Indian Local terrorists’ work. That is not an argument to guarantee that never ever an ISIS attack would take place in these lands. But what happened on Easter Sunday was not a start of ISIS to claim Lankawe as a part of its Caliphate. That’s all opportunistically framed talks. Form long time Lankawe security system had cleared that there is no ISIS in Lankawe, but individuals had gone to Syria to fight for ISIS. It was not a failed security assessment and further it is still a lot valid. What happened on Easter Sunday was pure local firework. ISIS may not know what the meaning for English word Tamil is. But Easter action is clearly established an attack on Tamil Christians and tourist. Here in Lankawe, from Hakeem, Rishard, Hezbollah to tuk tuk drivers, all Muslims are anti-Americans. So Muslim-Sinhala Aanduwa, without any effort, using all wanted Muslim youths, organized the Sunday 21st to teach Tamils, America and UNHRC a lesson.
As usual, the author, a previous admirer- well-wisher of Appe Aanduwa, never even will get anything out of nothing because he is swore never to let down Aanduwa.
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Sri lanka watchdog / May 30, 2019
Recently there is a WhatsApp video circulating about why lot of countries want Sri.lanka and middle East was mentioned erroneously.
First of all no nation is after our gems and we need to to evaluate the percentage of gems available in the island gems takes hundreds or thousands of years to form., the problem is either we forget too soon or not aware of our past.
The Thais came here about 20 years ago and caused us the biggest destruction, they dug out all the most precious blue sapphires when.it was in its mid infancy stage known as gauda and chemically processed them took tons a way, speculation of anything or about anyone is not very healthy without supporting solid evidence .
The Arabs of today only are in dire need of our house maids because India is extremely strict.
As for other Countries India with hand in glove with USA does not want China’s presence.
If anyone is really interested in our Country its only China and I think.even children understand why, they have a huge population living in a dying nation they compromised their natural resources for wealth .
What we are ignoring is exactly the same is done to sri Lanka , we are losing our oceans ,our most precious water, our river banks and our precious granite hills .
No gems can restore these
Instead we should help the farmers& our tea Estate workers , the estate workers must be given a better deal
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JD / May 30, 2019
I agree with most of the points discussed In this article. But, Keerthigopalan did not discuss some points enough. Probably, those are speculations by him and he does not have any evidence to support those. In some other web site, I read, that USA, turkey and Israel created Jihadists groups. Evan al Qaeda and Taliban are USA creations. But, USA had to dissolve those groups, particularly ISIS Because of the Russians decimating them in syria, secondly it went out of control and made several different groups.
Sri lankan Wahhabis and Salafis are made up of different societies I here. there is a blief some African – Wahhabi groups also may be in Srilanka. At least I suspect it that for some time, they are engaged specific roles. Besides, Turkey had given a list of 40 -50 turkish Terrorists immigrtated to Sri lanka and it says, Rishad Bathiuddin settled all those in wilpatthu-Mannar area. Sri lankan Yahapalana govt, supported Wahhabi activism by demoralizing the Intelligence people, and handing over it to Police. Police, particularly top police officers, even during the CBK times had lot of accusations for corruptions. Additionally, Police is not like Other forces, can be taken easily under politicians.Foreign media says, Saudi Arabia wants Sri lanka islamized and they spend money. Rand corporation is the very Secret Military research wing of the USA. So, everything should be connected to Pivot of Asia, String of pearls program of China, Indo-pacific com, Russia and China are building az Euro-asian Trade block., infiltrating India as well as a Sri lanka as a Colony for commercial purposes. Very good article, I hope youi wrote more about this. I think we know all. Sri lanka is like very much like Venezuela right now. It may become ECUADORE when the elections comes. .One foreign article said, that Sri lanka and KONGO are the new DAESH territories.
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JD / May 30, 2019
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JD / May 30, 2019
Keerthigoplan: At the time British were leaving because they were bankrupt and when they left India, there was nothing much they could take from Sri lanka, USA were busy taking Sri lanka under it’s control. That is why Bhikkus and Sinhala buddhists have problems in Srilanka.
They were training Lankan Wahhabis in syria for an attack. the govt knew all those. but, the Yahapalana govt’s excuse was they did not have laws to prosecute those who trained in syria. I think, they thought that those Wahhabis would not blow up here and USA would not do such a thing in Sri lanka. So, they bring the excuse that we did not have laws. After the syria loss, Wahhabis went back to their mother countries and wahhabis are living in many developed countries. but, they are being Watched heavily I suppose. If they do any hanky panky they would be arrested. Sri lanka did not arrest even when they imported Swords or found C4 Explosivs etc.,
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Sammy / May 30, 2019
ISIS chooses any country in which they want to place their evil hands on and this is not limited to Sri Lanka or India. The point is that it cannot force any person to join them but can only entice them. The willingness to be enticed and brainwashed is the choice of certain individuals in a particular country and it is the responsibility of the community and country to ensure that such choosing does not materialize and harsh action is taken. It is similar to drug addiction. Drugs don’t choose addicts but addicts choose drugs.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / May 31, 2019
Stop attacking others hiding behind a false name. If you have courage write in your name. If truth hurts you, then it is your problem. Most of those who died were Tamils. Batticaloa church deaths were Tamils. At St. Anthony’s it was Tamil service that was selectively targeted and not the Sinhala service. In Negombo something went wrong in selection of which St. Sebastian’s church. Instead of bombing St.Sebastian’s church at Wellaweediya where congregation are Tamil speaking Barathas and Tamil speaking Sinhalese, St. Sebastian’s church which is patronized by Sinhalese was bombed by mistake. When there are bigger churches in Colombo where Sinhalese worship like All Saints and St. Theresa’s, why Kochchikade church that too instead of Sinhala service, Tamil service was bombed. If reports of an impending bombing of Buddhist temples had been received, government would have acted immediately to arrest the suspects. Rev Gnanssara himself is saying that ISIS is different from LTTE. The number of non combatant Sinhalese killed by LTTE is much less than this massacre of 250 people in one go. Worst terrorist outfit in Sri Lanka is the government and its agents, both military and civilian.
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Ranjith(SPRRW) / June 2, 2019
Yes ISIS did not choose Lanka for suicide attacks But 50 odds ISIS affiliated Islamic groups have chosen Lanka. Local Muslims might have received wrong historical information on people live in Negambo area & Batticoloa area. After finding some descendants of missing Hebrew or jew tribal community in north east Indian tiny state in 2002 Israel suspected that balance community may be located some where in south part of Indian sub continent.Educated Muslims here in Lanka might have advised local ISIS affiliated gangs that There is a big possibility that people live in these areas may be descendants of missing Hebrew tribes around 1900 BC or around 4000 years ago. That is the selection criterion of churches for suicide bombing I suppose. In Palestinian concept Suicide bombing by Islamist target Jewish or Hebrews settlements only. Regarding 9/11 Bombing in USA by Alkida discussions still going on among Islamist priest who are advisers of these terror groups on selection of USA towers where no information of Jewish settlements in them. Anyway according to experts who studied on targeting patterns of Islamic terror groups believe that selection of Lankan targets for suicide attacks is come under same criterion. suspected Jewish settlements first & European tourist. Nothing to do with Tamils or Tamil settlements here. As per Middle east Islamic Criterion on selecting suicide attacks targets on above basis only. First suspected Jewish settlements & European’s resting places. As there are no Animistic temples on North coastal lines Tamils can not be targets of ISIS affiliated Attacks but south west, south & south east are very vulnerable areas as far as Islamic terror groups suicide bombing attacks are concern I suppose. Animistic temples situated in these coastal lines are very vulnerable in future. Do not write bullshits. Study Islamic terror groups behavior & their Saudi Islamic Universities Islamic study faculties papers presented. As such Hizbullah’s Attempt to establish Islamic university in east should be halted somehow. It may be breeding house or labor house for Islamic terrorism here.
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Punchi Point / June 2, 2019
S. I. Keethaponcalan has introduced his confused interpretations into what Jonah Blank actually said. Nowhere in the entire interview does Jonah Blank say that Sri Lanka chose ISIS, what he has said is that an extremist Sri Lankan group chose ISIS. If you cannot distinguish between “Sri Lanka” and a “Sri Lankan group”, then you must not write articles.
Compare what was actually said to what Keethaponcalan has made it into in his heading:
“ISIS didn’t choose Sri Lanka, but Sri Lankan group chose ISIS”
becomes:
“Sri Lanka Did Not Choose ISIS: ISIS Chose Sri Lanka”
In the article Keethaponcalan keeps the distinction between Sri Lanka and a Sri Lankan group, though. Why give the article a misleading heading?
I think Jonah Blank knows that Sri Lanka choosing ISIS is not even remotely possible as 92% of Sri Lankans are non-Muslims and 99.9% of them do not know what ISIS is even. Out of the Muslims too, the majourity is not aware of what ISIS is and it is very evident that only a handful of the 2 million Muslims in Sri Lanka subscribe to ISIS ideology.
What all these experts and scholars should know is that the terrorists who did this were quite capable of doing it without any help from any international terrorist groups. The expertise for suicide bombings is easily found among the now dormant Tamil terrorists, although the Islamic terrorists didn’t need Tamil help either. Also, the Easter bombings are not at all of any significant importance to the ISIS, except maybe for the purpose of an exhibition and demonstration of how far their sick ideology has spread.
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