Abdul Kader Fatima Hadiya, the widow of Zahran Hashim who led the Easter Sunday attack, has been ordered to be released by the court on strict conditions. Hadiya was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and had been detained for four years. The Kalmunai High Court heard her case today (15) and ordered her release.
Hadiya was arrested a few days after the April 2019 terror attack in Saindamardu, where she and her daughter were seriously injured. After receiving treatment, she was taken into the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department and detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
After four years, Hadiya was released on bail. The court ordered her release on a cash bail of 25,000 rupees and two body bails of 25 lakh rupees.
The Easter Sunday attack in Sri Lanka, which took place on April 21, 2019, was a coordinated series of bombings targeting churches and hotels in Colombo, Negombo, and Batticaloa. The attacks were carried out by suicide bombers and resulted in the deaths of 267 people, including 45 foreigners, and injured more than 500 others.
The perpetrators of the attack were identified as a group of radicalized Muslims who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). The group was led by Zahran Hashim, a Sri Lankan preacher who had been radicalized during his travels to India and the Middle East.
The attack highlighted the issue of Islamic radicalization in Sri Lanka, which had been simmering for years. The country has a Muslim population of around 10%, and while the vast majority are moderate and peaceful, a small minority have been radicalized by extremist ideologies.
The Sri Lankan government has been criticized for its failure to prevent the Easter Sunday attack despite receiving intelligence warnings of an impending attack. The government has since implemented a number of measures to address the issue of Islamic radicalization, including the banning of extremist organizations and the arrest of suspected terrorists. However, the issue remains a concern in Sri Lanka and in other countries with Muslim populations.
