ISLAMABAD – The collapse of the Daesh caliphate has paved the way for moreSri Lanka-style attacks on holiday-goers across the world, particularlyin South Asia and East Africa, intelligence sources told the SundayTelegraph.
Officials are allegedly concerned that the jihadi fighters, who were oustedfrom their last stronghold Baghouz in eastern Syria last month, now have afree hand in orchestrating attacks at holiday resorts.
It is understood that such popular destinations as India, the Maldives, andresorts in Kenya and Tanzania are among the most likely targets.
“It is fantastic that the caliphate has been destroyed but in the shortto medium term that creates a problem with Isil fighters dispersingaround the world and seeking to carry out attacks to promote the Isilmessage”, a source was quoted as saying.
It is also thought that the Sri Lankan suicide bombers were in contactwith Daesh leaders in Iraq and that two of them had travelled to Syria.
Daesh has claimed responsibility for the Easter attacks on several churchesand hotels in Sri Lanka, identifying the seven suicide bombers. Localauthorities, meanwhile, have blamed them on a small Sri Lankan Islamistgroup, National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ).
Sri Lanka has reportedly arrested over 100 suspects in connection with thebombings, while the government banned and seized the assets of the NTJ andJamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI), another group suspected of orchestratingthe attacks.
Initial reports suggested that the series of explosions killed 359 people,but the government has recently revised the death toll down to 253. SriLankan authorities have acknowledged that security agencies mishandledintelligence related to the potential bombings. The country’s defence chiefstepped down earlier this week, taking responsibility for what happenedon 21 April. -Sputnik