A top Sri Lankan minister said on Tuesday that a radical cleric, who is now under detention, has been identified as the mastermind of the deadly Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians. 
Nine suicide bombers, belonging to local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS, carried out coordinated blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on the Easter Sunday in 2019. 
 
"Naufer Moulavi was the mastermind (of the Easter bombings)," Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekera told reporters here. Weerasekera said that the cleric was assisted by another person identified as Hajjul Akbar. He said 32 suspects have been charged with murder and conspiracy to murder. 
 
Eight dossiers have been handed over to the Attorney General, he said, adding that another 75 suspects are under detention. The total number of suspects in the remand custody is 211, including the 32, who have been charged, he added. 
 
The Buddhist-majority nation was about to mark a decade since ending a 37-year-long Tamil separatist war in May 2009 when the suicide bombings in 2019 rocked the country. 
 
The attacks caused a political storm as the then government headed by President Maithirpala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was blamed for its inability to prevent the deadly attacks despite the prior intelligence made available on the impending terror strikes. 
 
During his tenure, Sirisena formed a presidential panel to probe the attacks. In its report, the panel said that former president Sirisena and a host of other top defence officials, including former defence secretaries, former IGPs and intelligence chiefs, were guilty of ignoring prior intelligence. The panel report recommended criminal action against them. 
 
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the head of the local Catholic church, has been demanding action against Sirisena. 
The Colombo Church has been holding a 'Black Sunday' congregation every week, demanding justice for the victims. 
 
Ranjith has vowed to take drastic action if the real culprits were not dealt with by the second anniversary of the attacks on April 21. The findings of the presidential panel which found Sirisena culpable has come under criticism by political parties claiming that the panel had not been able to identify the masterminds and those who provided funds to the bombers. 
 
The panel had recommended that findings against Sirisena and the then police top brass be referred to the Attorney General for necessary legal action. Sirisena has publicly denied receiving any prior information on the attacks.

A top Sri Lankan minister said on Tuesday that a radical cleric, who is now under detention, has been identified as the mastermind of the deadly Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians.

A top Sri Lankan minister said on Tuesday that a radical cleric, who is now under detention, has been identified as the mastermind of the deadly Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians. Nine suicide bombers, belonging to local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS, carried out coordinated blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on the Easter Sunday in 2019. "Naufer Moulavi was the mastermind (of the Easter bombings)," Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekera told reporters here. Weerasekera said that the cleric was assisted by another person identified as Hajjul Akbar. He said 32 suspects have been charged with murder and conspiracy to murder. Eight dossiers have been handed over to the Attorney General, he said, adding that another 75 suspects are under detention. The total number of suspects in the remand custody is 211, including the 32, who have been charged, he added. The Buddhist-majority nation was about to mark a decade since ending a 37-year-long Tamil separatist war in May 2009 when the suicide bombings in 2019 rocked the country. The attacks caused a political storm as the then government headed by President Maithirpala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was blamed for its inability to prevent the deadly attacks despite the prior intelligence made available on the impending terror strikes. During his tenure, Sirisena formed a presidential panel to probe the attacks. In its report, the panel said that former president Sirisena and a host of other top defence officials, including former defence secretaries, former IGPs and intelligence chiefs, were guilty of ignoring prior intelligence. The panel report recommended criminal action against them. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the head of the local Catholic church, has been demanding action against Sirisena. The Colombo Church has been holding a 'Black Sunday' congregation every week, demanding justice for the victims. Ranjith has vowed to take drastic action if the real culprits were not dealt with by the second anniversary of the attacks on April 21. The findings of the presidential panel which found Sirisena culpable has come under criticism by political parties claiming that the panel had not been able to identify the masterminds and those who provided funds to the bombers. The panel had recommended that findings against Sirisena and the then police top brass be referred to the Attorney General for necessary legal action. Sirisena has publicly denied receiving any prior information on the attacks.

Mastermind of Easter terror attacks identified: Sri Lankan minister

Sri Lanka's new government Friday offered tax breaks and subsidised fuel to revive the island's second international airport built with Chinese loans but which ended up a white elephant.

Authorities announced plans to suspend the $60 departure tax for two years and allow airlines free landing and parking after scheduled carriers abandoned Mattala Rajapaksa airport.

Ground handling services will also be offered at discounted rates while migrant workers flying out of the airport -- 250 kilometres (150 miles) from Colombo -- will be offered concessionary fares.

Budget carrier Flydubai was the last scheduled operator to pull out of the airport, which is named after former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The previous administration, which lost the November presidential election to Rajapaksa's younger brother Gotabaya, had been in talks with neighbouring India to revive the airport as an aircraft maintenance facility.

It was not immediately clear if the new government had abandoned those plans but the country's cabinet said in a statement they wanted scheduled passenger services to resume.

&nbsp;Poor traffic

The airport -- a five-hour drive from the capital -- is in the middle of a migratory route for birds.

Several aircraft have hit birds since it opened in 2013, and four years ago the military deployed hundreds of troops to clear deer, wild buffalo and elephants off the sprawling facility.

The airport, which cost an initial $210 million and employs about 550 workers in Rajapaksa's home district, has failed to generate enough business to pay staff, let alone make a profit.

The first foreign airline to operate out of the facility was Air Arabia in 2013 but they pulled out after six weeks of scheduled services. Flydubai quit in June 2018 without giving a reason, but officials said poor passenger traffic may have spurred the budget carrier to leave.

Even Sri Lanka's national carrier, Sri Lankan Airlines, stopped flying to Mattala in 2015 soon after Rajapaksa was defeated in the January 2015 elections. Sri Lankan later said they saved $18 million annually by not flying to the airport.

But the facility has remained an emergency alternate landing location for flights heading into Colombo International, about 30 minutes away by air.

In 2017, China took over a loss-making deep-sea port at Hambantota, in the same area as the airport, on a 99-year lease under a $1.1 billion deal, sparking concern in neighbouring India.

Sri Lanka's new government Friday offered tax breaks and subsidised fuel to revive the island's second international airport built with Chinese loans but which ended up a white elephant.

Sri Lanka's new government Friday offered tax breaks and subsidised fuel to revive the island's second international airport built with Chinese loans but which ended up a white elephant. Authorities announced plans to suspend the $60 departure tax for two years and allow airlines free landing and parking after scheduled carriers abandoned Mattala Rajapaksa airport. Ground handling services will also be offered at discounted rates while migrant workers flying out of the airport -- 250 kilometres (150 miles) from Colombo -- will be offered concessionary fares. Budget carrier Flydubai was the last scheduled operator to pull out of the airport, which is named after former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The previous administration, which lost the November presidential election to Rajapaksa's younger brother Gotabaya, had been in talks with neighbouring India to revive the airport as an aircraft maintenance facility. It was not immediately clear if the new government had abandoned those plans but the country's cabinet said in a statement they wanted scheduled passenger services to resume. Poor traffic The airport -- a five-hour drive from the capital -- is in the middle of a migratory route for birds. Several aircraft have hit birds since it opened in 2013, and four years ago the military deployed hundreds of troops to clear deer, wild buffalo and elephants off the sprawling facility. The airport, which cost an initial $210 million and employs about 550 workers in Rajapaksa's home district, has failed to generate enough business to pay staff, let alone make a profit. The first foreign airline to operate out of the facility was Air Arabia in 2013 but they pulled out after six weeks of scheduled services. Flydubai quit in June 2018 without giving a reason, but officials said poor passenger traffic may have spurred the budget carrier to leave. Even Sri Lanka's national carrier, Sri Lankan Airlines, stopped flying to Mattala in 2015 soon after Rajapaksa was defeated in the January 2015 elections. Sri Lankan later said they saved $18 million annually by not flying to the airport. But the facility has remained an emergency alternate landing location for flights heading into Colombo International, about 30 minutes away by air. In 2017, China took over a loss-making deep-sea port at Hambantota, in the same area as the airport, on a 99-year lease under a $1.1 billion deal, sparking concern in neighbouring India.

Sri Lanka offers tax cuts, subsidies to revive jinxed airport

Sri Lanka's customs on Monday arrested and fined a Chinese man accused of trying to take 200 venomous scorpions out of the country in his checked-in luggage.

The man was suspected of trying to get the scorpions back to China to extract the venom, officials said.

The live arachnids were discovered by security officials at Colombo international airport in plastic containers packed in the man's luggage that was to be checked in.

"We detained the passenger and launched an investigation," customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne said. "We have not placed a value on the 200 scorpions, but trafficking in live wildlife has become a lucrative trade."

The suspect was fined 100,000 rupees ($550) and the scorpions confiscated before the man was allowed to return home, Jayaratne said.

Sri Lanka has about 18 species of venomous scorpions, but only one is fatal to humans. It was not known if the confiscated arachnids were deadly.

The island nation has strict laws on wildlife and fauna, but smuggling attempts are increasingly frequent.

Three years ago, authorities destroyed 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of China-bound rare bird nests -- the main ingredient in soup that is considered a delicacy in China and other Asian countries -- that was seized from traffickers.

Sri Lanka's customs on Monday arrested and fined a Chinese man accused of trying to take 200 venomous scorpions out of the country in his checked-in luggage. The man was suspected of trying to get the scorpions back to China to extract the venom, officials said.

Sri Lanka's customs on Monday arrested and fined a Chinese man accused of trying to take 200 venomous scorpions out of the country in his checked-in luggage. The man was suspected of trying to get the scorpions back to China to extract the venom, officials said. The live arachnids were discovered by security officials at Colombo international airport in plastic containers packed in the man's luggage that was to be checked in. "We detained the passenger and launched an investigation," customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne said. "We have not placed a value on the 200 scorpions, but trafficking in live wildlife has become a lucrative trade." The suspect was fined 100,000 rupees ($550) and the scorpions confiscated before the man was allowed to return home, Jayaratne said. Sri Lanka has about 18 species of venomous scorpions, but only one is fatal to humans. It was not known if the confiscated arachnids were deadly. The island nation has strict laws on wildlife and fauna, but smuggling attempts are increasingly frequent. Three years ago, authorities destroyed 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of China-bound rare bird nests -- the main ingredient in soup that is considered a delicacy in China and other Asian countries -- that was seized from traffickers.

China-bound scorpions seized in Sri Lankan airport sting

Sri Lankan authorities arrested four Maldivian nationals, including a woman, for illegally operating a drone near the country's main international airport, police said Sunday.

The suspects were taken into custody on Saturday night after they were seen using a drone within the high-security zone of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), police said in a statement.

"They were filming the airport area with the drone. Investigations are continuing," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. "The suspects -- aged between 19 and 23 -- will be produced before a magistrate today."

It was the first arrest in the country in connection with the illegal operation of a drone near an airport.&nbsp;

The incident came hours before Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was due to arrive in Sri Lanka to attend the country's 71st national day ceremony in Colombo.

Operating any kind of drone near airports is banned while drone photography and aerial mapping are also highly regulated by civil aviation authorities.

Air traffic controllers at the BIA said there were no disruptions to international flights on Saturday.&nbsp;

However, drones have caused flight disruptions in recent weeks in London and New York.

Sri Lankan authorities arrested four Maldivian nationals, including a woman, for illegally operating a drone near the country's main international airport, police said Sunday.

Sri Lankan authorities arrested four Maldivian nationals, including a woman, for illegally operating a drone near the country's main international airport, police said Sunday. The suspects were taken into custody on Saturday night after they were seen using a drone within the high-security zone of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), police said in a statement. "They were filming the airport area with the drone. Investigations are continuing," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. "The suspects -- aged between 19 and 23 -- will be produced before a magistrate today." It was the first arrest in the country in connection with the illegal operation of a drone near an airport. The incident came hours before Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was due to arrive in Sri Lanka to attend the country's 71st national day ceremony in Colombo. Operating any kind of drone near airports is banned while drone photography and aerial mapping are also highly regulated by civil aviation authorities. Air traffic controllers at the BIA said there were no disruptions to international flights on Saturday. However, drones have caused flight disruptions in recent weeks in London and New York.

Sri Lanka arrests Maldivians flying drone near airport