The Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) on Wednesday arrested two people in Oluvil for propagating extremist ideologies, Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana said.
The Police Spokesman said the suspects, aged 39 and 30 years, had been conducting classes for the students who sat GCE Ordinary Level Examination. The suspects had used various video footages and content of lectures of foreign terrorist organizations connected to extremism in their classes.
“The students were also asked to follow a physical fitness training course and the students who were reluctant to attend the training had been assaulted by the two suspects. Police are tracing several students who were reluctant to attend those classes and they will be referred to a Judicial Medical Officer,” he said. The DIG said the suspects had been detained at the TID Headquarters in Colombo under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The suspects were guided by ring-leader Zaharan Hashim, who carried out the Easter Sunday suicide bombings on April 21, 2019. The Police Spokesman said the Police previously arrested two suspects in Muttur on similar offences.
They had also been conducting classes for students who sat for the OL exam.