The Ministry of Defense has granted permission to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to detain the four suspects who were arrested Friday with a massive haul of explosives and detonators, for 90 days and interrogate.
The CID officers, who were searching for another suspect involved in the destruction of Buddha statues in Mawanella, stumbled on the explosives and detonators buried in a coconut estate in Wanathawilluwa, Puttalam on Thursday.
The officers have found of 100kg of high powered explosives used to manufacture bombs, 100 detonators, illegal firearms and several other illegal items and arrested four suspects including the owner of the land where some of the explosives were buried.
The CID has also recovered six 20 liter cans of nitric acid, wire cords, a 12 bore rifle and a stock of ammunition, an air rifle, two tents, a stock of food, a computer, cameras, a stock of dry rations and several other items.
After the discovery, the CID officers have taken the suspects and the explosives into custody and brought them to Colombo yesterday (17).
The high powered explosives have been sent to the Government Analyst for testing yesterday and the CID expects to obtain the report shortly.
For future investigations Wanathavilluwa Police have provided security to the area surrounding the land where the explosives were hidden.
An AFP report quoting a police official said the four suspects were from a newly formed radical Muslim group.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
