Easter bombings in Sri Lanka likely to be NIA's first case post amendment of Act

Easter Sunday bombings case in Sri Lanka is likely to be first case for NIA to probe after Parliament amended an Act empowering it to investigate terror cases abro, officials said on Sunday.

Over 250 people were killed when nine suicide bombers carried out a series of blasts in Sri Lanka on April 21.

With Parliament giving its d to National Investigation ncy (Amendment) Bill on July 17 and Law Ministry issuing a tification in this effect on July 25, first case to be investigated abro is going to be Sri Lanka blasts, a Home Ministry official privy to development said.

A two-member team of NIA h visited Sri Lanka in May and h held discussions with authorities re about claims that some terrorists, owning allegiance to dreed terror group ISIS, h travelled to India, including Kashmir.

However, so far NIA has t been able to register any case due to lack of its jurisdiction. But with amended law, ncy can probe case, official said.

amended Act gives powers to NIA to probe terror attacks targeting Indians, Indian interests abro and having links with India.

latest amendments will enable NIA to ditionally investigate offenses related to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and offenses under Explosive Substances Act, 1908.

A special court in New Delhi will preside over such cases, according to amendments.

Before Easter Sunday bombings, India h alerted island nation that  ISIS terrorists were planning to carry out strikes re.

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India h been regularly sharing intelligence inputs about a possible terror attack in Sri Lanka targeting Indian High Commission and religious places re, officials said.

inputs to Sri Lanka were sent through diplomatic channels.

Earlier, NIA h stumbled upon videos of National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leer Zahran Hashim during investigation of a terror case and videos were indicative of a terror attack on religious places as well as Indian High Commission in Colombo, officials said.

Hashim was among nine suicide bombers who carried out series of blasts in Sri Lanka.

videos showed Hashim asking youths from Sri Lanka, Tamil Nu and Kerala to establish an Islamic rule in region.

After blasts in Sri Lanka, NIA h arrested 29-year-old Riyas A, also kwn as Riyas Aboobacker or Abu Dujana, a resident of Palakk in Kerala.He is alleged to be in touch with Hashim on social media platforms, officials said.

accused h disclosed during investigations that he h been following speeches of Hashim for more than a year and has also followed speeches delivered by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, currently based in Malaysia.

According to inputs with central ncies, Hashim h spent time in India last year during which he attempted to influence youths in Tamil Nu and Kerala to join him.

Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, commander of Sri Lankan Army, h claimed that suicide bombers h travelled to some cities in India, including Kashmir.

"y ( suspects) have gone to India, y've gone to Kashmir, Bangalore, y've travelled to Kerala state. Those are information available with us," he h told BBC in May.

However, Jammu and Kashmir Police h denied it and h asked  Sri Lanakan authorities to share more information about it. 

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