Easter bombers visited Kashmir for training: Sri Lanka army chief

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ The chief of Sri Lankas army said some of the people who carried out the April 21 serial bombings in his country had travelled to regions such as Kashmir and Kerala in India to possibly be part of terrorism training activities.

The comments by Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayke is the first confirmation by a senior security official in either of the countries of the terrorists having travelled to India, a link that Indian security agencies have been pursuing since shortly after the attacks in the island nation.

They had gone to India, travelling to Bangalore, Kashmir and Kerala state, (according to) information available with us, Senanayke said. Asked if he was aware of the purpose of those visits, the army commander replied: It would have been for some sort of a training or to establish links with other organisations outside the country.

Counter-terror agencies such as the National Investigation Agency have carried out raids in parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where they have picked up several people for suspected links to the Islamic State the Syria-based terror group that claimed responsibility for the attack.