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| Arugam Bay is one of the popular tourist spots among Israeli tourists. Pix: internet |
Update: (Oct 24) Two individuals were taken into custody by the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) for allegedly being involved in planning to carry out an attack in a hotel in the Eastern province.
Police said that the suspects were planning to carry out the attack targeting tourists in the hotel they were staying.
Special security measures have been put in place at popular tourist spots in the Eastern province after government intelligence services received credible intelligence of attacks, police said.
According to the police, around 500 police officers and Special Task Force personnel deployed around Arugam Bay and Pottuvil areas with setting up of roadblocks to ensure the safety of the civilians and tourists.
Acting Inspector General of Police Senior DIG Priyantha Weerasooriya told the media yesterday that the intelligence was initially received on October 7 and the government has taken necessary steps to ensure the safety of everyone following a National Security Meeting chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Earlier US embassy in Colombo issued a security warning requesting its citizens not to visit popular tourist spots in the East due to an impending attack. Other Diplomatic Missions of the UK and Australia followed and issued similar warnings to their nationals.
Meanwhile, Israel has also asked citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Sri Lanka and leave coastal tourist areas including the Arugam Bay area. The country’s National Security Council also urged its citizens to stop overt displays of Hebrew language in clothes or other signs that could lead to identification.
“The travel alert for Arugam Bay and the coastal areas in south and west Sri Lanka (including for the cities Ahangame, Galle, Hikkaduwa and Weligama) has been raised to level 4,” Israel’s National Security Council said in a statement. (Northeastern Monitor/October 24/2024)
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