Public need not live in fear as secure environment has now been established : President

While President Maithripala Sirisena commended the efforts of the security forces to restore peace and security in the country, he also added that the public no longer need to live in fear  as a secure environment has not been established.

Delivering a special address in Parliament, the President said that 56 persons have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday terror attacks out of which 12 have been identified as terrorists.

A total of 103 detonators, 236 gelatnite sticks and 250 kilos of crystal powder used in the manufacturing of explosives have been discovered during search operations by the security forces, he said.

President Sirisena also told Parliament that the 13 safehouses used by the terrorists have been sealed off while 41 bank accounts of these individuals have been frozen. Further, he said that Rs 18 million had been nabbed recently by the security forces after intelligence reports had revealed that a sum of Rs 2 million was provided to individuals who extended their support to these terrorist groups.

The President also took issue with the manner in which certain individuals were behaving while pretending that this was the first instance in which explosions had occured in the country. "Some have forgotten that we lived with bombs over the nearly three-decade long war. Explosions were reported even during the tenure of the previous five Presidents," Mr. Sirisena reacalled.

He also pointed out that terrorism experts in the country have expressed shock towards the manner in which terrorist leaders have emerged while claiming responsibility for the attacks. "The prime target of these terrorists were the Catholics, American and European nationals," the President said in his address in Parliament.

He also expressed dismay in which certain media institutions have been operating in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. "When we take action against social media they claim that we are destorying media freedom," the President lamented.

Commenting on the composition of terrorists in the country, the President said that intelligence reports have shown only 150 individuals to have links with such terrorist groups. He reminded that it was important to think twice as to whether the entire Muslim community was responsible for such acts.

Mr. Sirisena also called on the Buddhists to refrain from acting against the Muslims since the latter might resort to joining terrorist groups if they feel unsecure within their enviornment.

"About 99 percent of those with terrorist links have been apprehended. The rest of them will be arrested within the next few days," the President assured.