The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed that Maulavi Naufer masterminded Sri Lanka’s 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, Sri Lankan Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara informed parliament.

This comes after Sri Lankan authorities had concluded after investigations tht he was the mastermind behind the 2019 serial bombings that killed 269 people and injured over 500 in the country. 

Foreign agencies like Australian Federal Police and US FBI were involved in investigating the attacks as many foreigners were lost their lives in the attack, reported Daily Mirror. 

Weerasekra also claimed that Maulavi Naufer introduced the ideology of ISIS in Sri Lanka, and was also involved in running courses on that. Sri Lanka agencies, later, reported the group had been running two training camps in Nuwara Eliya and Hambantota. 

Foreign nationals, including four Maldivians, and an Australian citizen of Sri Lankan origin were also involved in the group’s activity. The minister also clarified the delay in investigating the case, saying any international probe takes a long time to complete. 

The 2019 bombings rocked the island nation and exposed its security agencies which failed to prevent the deadly attack despite clear intel inputs from at least two foreign agencies, including India’s intelligence agencies. 

(SAM)