According to the Israeli news agency Ynet India’s intelligence agency alerted authorities to the Sri Lanka of a planned attack against the Israelis between October 19 and 23. The arrests came a day after Israel’s National Security Council issued a travel warning urging Israeli citizens to leave Arugam Bay and Sri Lanka’s southern and western coastal areas due to “credible threats of terrorism.” The Mossad also warned that terrorists led by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were planning an attack in the near future, Israeli news agency Kan News reported. One of the arrested individuals reportedly had just returned home from Iraq. The Minister of Public Security Vijitha Herath said the suspects were Sri Lankan nationals who are currently in prison where they are being interrogated. Separately, police spokeswoman Nihal Thalduwa noted that the target was a center run by Israeli citizens affiliated with Chabad, a major Jewish religious organization.
Protests by local Muslim groups against Israel’s fight against Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have won support from the broader community in this predominantly Buddhist South Asian nation. Israelis represent less than 1.5 percent of the 1.5 million tourists who visited the island in the first nine months of this year, or about 20,000 people in total. However, Arugam Bay, a surfing hotspot about 400 kilometers east of Colombo, is a popular destination for Israeli tourists.
Bilateral ties between Israel and Sri Lanka strengthened earlier this year, as both countries signed a trade agreement on February 15, allowing direct flights between the two nations. Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev has estimated that up to 50,000 Israeli tourists will be able to visit Sri Lanka per year. SecondBill RoggioSenior Fellow and editor of FDD’s Long War Journal: « Sri Lanka is no stranger to Iraq-linked terrorist attacks: on Easter Sunday 2019, Sri Lankans linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) killed 249 people in a series of coordinated attacks on churches and resorts. One of the suspects in the latest plot is said to be based in Iraq, meaning he could be linked to Iran, which has a long history of terrorist attacks around the world and a massive network of proxy militias, or to terrorist organization ISIS. Israelis should exercise extreme caution when traveling abroad and visiting resorts, as these are prime targets for terrorists.” So once again Iran’s role in preparing terrorist attacks against Israeli targets is confirmedJoe Truzmansenior research analyst and editor of the Long War Journal «Should it be confirmed that Iran is behind the attempted terrorist attack, it would further solidify the growing body of evidence indicating that the regime is actively waging a sustained campaign of terrorism and attempted of assassination against Israelis. Remarkably, Israeli security agencies have identified and thwarted many of these threats. Nonetheless, Iran will likely continue its efforts to target Israelis and the Jewish state’s intelligence agencies will remain vigilant and ready to counter these plots.”
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