AG authorises ban on 11 Islamist outfits

By Buddhika Samaraweera and Hansi Nanayakkara

The Attorney General (AG) yesterday (7), authorised the proscription of 11 Islamist organisations linked to extremist activities, considering a request made by the IGP.

AG’s Coordinating Officer, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne confirmed this. Among the organisations recommended to be proscribed are the United Thawheed Jama’ath, Ceylon Thawheed Jama’ath (CTJ), Sri Lanka Thawheed Jama’ath (SLTJ), All Ceylon Thawheed Jama’ath and Jamiyathul Ansaari Sunnatul Mohamadiya.

In addition, the Attorney General has authorised the proscription of Dharul Adhar @ Jamiul Adhar, Sri Lanka Islamic Students Movement, Islamic State (IS), Al Qaeda, Save the Pearl and Super Muslim organisations.

Investigations have revealed that the General Secretary of the CTJ, Abdul Razik has converted Pulastini Mahendran alias Sarah Jasmine to Islam and got her to marry Atchchi Muhammadu Muhammadu Hastun (the suicide bomber of the St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya on 21 April 2019) in 2015. Prior to the formation of the CTJ, Razik was the General Secretary of the SLTJ.

However, a decision has not yet been taken on organisations such as the Sri Lanka Jamaat-e-Islami, the Sri Lanka Jamaat-e-Islami Students’ Movement and the Bodu Bala Sena, which have been recommended to be proscribed in the Final Report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday bombings.