Apr 24, 2019, 6:55 PM IST
A previously little-known terrorist group called National Tawheed Jamaath or NTJ is suspected of being involved in the Easter terror attacks on Sri Lanka. This group is believed to have separated from another hardline Islamic group called Sri Lanka Tawheed Jamaath (SLTJ).
The faction responsible for the Easter day terror attack is regarded as a local branch of the Islamic State, the terrorist group as known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or ISIS. On Tuesday, the ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The TJ, based in the eastern Part of Sri Lanka, strictly follows Islamic principles. The parent group is known for its hatred for Buddhists. In 2016, their secretary Abdul Razik was arrested for inciting racism. Surprisingly, the parent group has condemned the terror attacks and demanded the highest punishment possible for the perpetrators.
The TJ came into limelight in December last year when it got linked with vandalism of Buddhist temples. Their activities led to tensions between Muslims and Buddhists in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan government says there must have been an international network without which these attacks could not have materialised. In these attacks in churches and hotels in Sri Lanka kill over 300 were killed while 500 were injured. Sri Lanka’s neighbour India, however, has seen remarkable success in nipping the ISIS threat in the bud over the past five years.