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Colombo:
Sri Lankan police arrested three persons on suspicion of plotting an attack against Israeli tourists in the eastern coast surfing resort of Arugam Bay following a tip-off from Indian intelligence, authorities said on Thursday.
Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath said all three suspects arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division of the police are Sri Lankan nationals.
They are being interrogated to ascertain if they had a plan to carry out the attack targeting Israelis, the minister said.
Earlier, police announced the arrest of two persons and said it came as a result of Indian intelligence information, which warned of an attack between October 19 and 23.
On Wednesday, the US embassy and the British High Commission in Colombo issued statements warning their citizens that they had received credible information targeting Arugam Bay and urged tourists to avoid the area until further notice.
Responding to the opposition’s criticism that the public was not informed about the threat until the US embassy issued its travel advisory, Herath said, “We did not inform the public until the information could be verified.” “Some information has been revealed that there may be potential threats to the safety of the tourists who visited Sri Lanka,” Herath was quoted as saying by local media.
“Intelligence agencies received information about it. Upon receiving that information, we immediately took action,” he added.
He said the government had taken swift action to provide security at all coastal areas and tourism sites after receiving the information.
Herath said adequate measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of all tourists.
He said US Ambassador Julie Chung had informed the government of the travel advisory on the Arugam Bay security situation.
The US warned its citizens to avoid the popular tourists’ resort on the eastern coast until further notice. Security has been beefed up in the region.
Meanwhile, the police said that the security net has been extended to the southern coast and the southeastern resort areas.
Sri Lanka’s Muslim minority groups have condemned the wars in Gaza and Lebanon by holding continuous anti-Israel protests.
Several posts have appeared on social media calling for a boycott of Israeli businesses on the east coast.
The police vowed to accord protection to all foreign nationals. A hotline has been set up for tourists to alert authorities of any suspicious activities.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
