11 Muslim groups are band in Sri Lanka before the anniversary of Easter attacks

On Wednesday (Apr 14), Sri Lanka banned 11 organizations, including the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, a week ahead of the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings which killed 279 people.

Anyone linked to the groups – the other nine of which are local religious and social organizations – faces up to 20 years in jail, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a gazette notification.

Ahead of the anniversary, the country’s Roman Catholics had threatened to take to the streets over what they say is the government’s failure to act against those responsible for the attacks.

Some of the groups banned Wednesday had previously been linked to the lead bomber.

The move, made under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, was “in furtherance of the efforts of the government of Sri Lanka made in good faith for the purpose of ensuring the continuance of peace within the country”, Rajapaksa said.

However, investigators said they had found no evidence of direct links to IS.

Two local groups said to be directly linked to the attacks were banned in 2019, but a presidential investigation into the bombings wanted similar Islamic groups outlawed too.

All seven bombers died and no other suspects have been charged.