Two activists of the banned organisation Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem (JMI) have been arrested by the Ampara police today, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

They were arrested following information given by the State Intelligence Service (SIS) officers in Ampara.

Initial investigation revealed that the suspects, residents of Geli Oya and Galle, had undergone weapons training with National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim at a Nuwara Eliya camp.

One suspect was identified as Mohommad Zahir Mohommad Ahazena alias 'Abhu Amara' a resident of Daskara, Gelioya in Kandy. He had been undergone weapons training with National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim at a Nuwara Eliya camp.

The second suspect was identified as Mohommad Authad Aniz Mohommad alias 'Abhu Subehir' a resident from Galle. The suspect had been revealed as a civil engineer and he had also received weapon training in Nuwara Eliya camp.

Including these two arrests, the Ampara police have so far arrested 15 suspects involved weapon training. Three suspects of the 15 had been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) for further investigations.

A 16-year-old suspect, Mohamed Naufar Abdullah, who had allegedly maintained links with the proscribed National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ), was remanded till April 21 by the Ampara Magistrate after he produced to courts yesterday.

The son was arrested for allegedly maintaining links with the proscribed National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ), and he was arrested in Ampara on a tip-off received by the State Intelligence Services (SIS), on August 16.

The remaining eleven suspects are at the detention of the Ampara police for further questioning, SP Gunasekera added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama and Wasantha Chandrapala)

Video by Wasantha Chandrapala