Sri Lanka police discover suspected militants camp

KATTANKUDY: Sri Lankan police on Sunday discovered a 10-acre camp in the eastern town of Kattankudy, where Islamist militants linked to the deadly Easter attacks are believed to have practiced shooting and bombmaking.The walled terrain is nestled in a poor residential area on the outskirts of the home town of Zahran Hashim, who is believed to have been a key player in plotting the April 21 attacks. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the church and hotel bombings that killed more than 250 people.The narrow, sandy plot is dotted with a cinderblock four-storey watchtower, as well as mango trees, a chicken coop and a goat shed. “They wanted to show this place was normal. If someone comes to see, it looks like a farm. But what they were doing is terrorism,” said a senior police officer in the Batticaloa area, asking to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak to media.Sri Lanka secures schools before reopening: Sri Lanka ordered tens of thousands of security personnel to secure public schools ahead of their reopening Monday, officials said, following the Easter suicide bombings.The search for explosives and a security cordon thrown around 10,900 schools nationwide came as the government said it has expelled over 600 foreigners, including around 200 Islamic clerics, since the April 21 attacks claimed by the Islamic State group.Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said "police and soldiers combed school premises and the surrounding areas to make sure it is safe for children to go back" on Monday. As part of the clampdown after the attacks on three churches and three luxury hotels, the government announced a crackdown on foreign Islamic clerics operating in the majority Buddhist country.Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena said 200 clerics were found to have overstayed visas, for which fines were imposed and they were then expelled. "Considering the current situation in the country, we have reviewed the visas system and took a decision to tighten visa restrictions for religious teachers," Abeywardena told AFP."Out of those who were sent out, about 200 were Islamic preachers." The suicide attacks were led by a local cleric who is known to have travelled to neighbouring India and made contact with jihadists there.The minister did not give the nationalities of those who have been expelled, but police have said many foreigners who have overstayed their visas were from Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Pakistan."There are religious institutions which have been getting in foreign preachers for decades," Abeywardena said. "We have no issues with them, but there are some which mushroomed recently. We will pay more attention to them."

from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2VMHwbh