Island-wide Navy operations are conducted to nab suspects involved in extremist activities and find explosives

Following the Easter Sunday attack carried out by an Islamic extremist group on 21^st April, armed forces and Police have launched special search operations to arrest suspects involved in extremist activities and expedited their missions to find explosives items. Accordingly, during search operations conducted in the past couple of days the Navy had arrested 03 suspects who are believed to have involved in extremist activities.

Naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command with the assistance of Navy sniffer dogs, during a search carried out in Erakkandi town and beach area on 27^th April, had apprehended a suspect with a cache of explosives. Accordingly, 16 water gel sticks, 160 non electric detonators, 60 pieces of safety fuses (each about 12.5ft in length) and a motorcycle were seized in Erakkandi town area. Meanwhile, 48 water gel sticks, 55 non electric detonators and 34 pieces of safety fuses (each was about 14.5ft in length) had been found during a search conducted in the beach area of Erakkandi. The arrested suspect along with the motorcycle and explosive items was handed over to the Kuchchaweli Police for onward legal action.

A troop of naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command, during a foot patrol in the Jinnapuram locality, had recovered 01 water gel tube, 05 non electric detonators and a safety fuse on 28^th April. The explosive items were handed over to the Pulmodai Police for onward action.

Further, a team of naval personnel attached to the Southeastern Naval Command had nabbed 02 suspects with 05 non electric detonators and 53m long safety fuses, while searching a kiosk near the Hadaoya Bridge in Pothuvil, Panama on 28^th April.

Besides, naval troops attached to the Western Naval Command, during a search and clear operation carried out in Welisara and Mabola on 29^th April had found 140 complete and 14 half-stitched clothes similar to camouflage uniforms, from two houses functioned as garment workshops. The garments were handed over to the Wattala Police for onward investigation.

As such, Sri Lanka Navy continues to conduct island-wide search operations around the clock to apprehend suspects and seize arms and explosive items that could pose a threat to the national security.