Authorities in Sri Lanka have decided to seize assets of banned Islamic groups in the country, Colombpage reported. Around 11 groups have been banned in the island nation after the Easter bombings attack in 2019.

Sarath Weerasekara, the country’s minister of public security, said measures would be taken to confiscate the assets of banned Islamic extremist organizations. During an interaction with media on Sunday in Colombo, he said the government was collecting information regarding the leaders and members of these banned groups.

“11 extremist organizations have been completely banned and their members will not be able to engage in the organizations’ activities and added that legal action will be taken if extremism and terrorism are spread,” Weerasekara said.

He said that investigations into the banned groups are now underway and the assets will be confiscated after the reports of the investigations into their assets and bank accounts submitted to the Attorney General.

Also, the Presidential Inquiry Commission, to investigate the 2019 bombings, also recommended a ban on extremists Islamic groups in the country. The report also called for the strict regulation of Islamic seminaries in the country.

259 people, mostly minority Christians, had been killed in the 2019 Easter bombing attacks.