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74 Sayurusara 2019 December
monitoring and occasionally striking its affiliates funding sources and overall direction led to the
and personnel elsewhere. Parallel U.S. assistance formation of the Sri Lankan Tawheed Jamaat (SLTJ).
efforts support stabilization in areas once held by The SLTJ, formed a partnership with its counterpart
the group, and diplomatic efforts have promoted in the Indian province of Tamil Nadu and worked
political reconciliation among local factions in closely with them9.
countries where Islamic State supporters are active.
The United States also provides security assistance It is around this time that Zahran Hashim was
to partner governments in support of operations finishing his theological studies at Jamiathul Falah
against Islamic State affiliates and to strengthen Arabic College in Kattankudy, a traditional madrassa
the ability of partners to deter and respond to in Sri Lanka established in 1955. Upon leaving the
Islamic State attacks. Evolving counterterrorism madrassa, Zahran along with some people he knew
cooperation and intelligence sharing efforts among in Kattankudy founded an organization called Darul
a wider network of concerned governments seek to Athar in 2007. This organization, according to locals,
further limit the ability of IS supporters to carry out had nothing to do with the SLTJ, and they often
transnational terrorist attacks. disagreed with each other on various theological
issues. In 2012, due to disagreements in religious
Interrelated conflicts and political crises in beliefs, Darul Athar decided to ban him from the
Iraq, Syria, and other countries where the Islamic organization. Zahran then, in 2012, created the
State operates complicate efforts to address and National Tawheed Jamaat (NTJ).
durably eliminate the threats posed by the group.
Military operations may reduce the numbers of The National Tawheed Jamaat, began simply
IS fighters and liberate IS-held territory, but the as an organization made up of Zahran Hashim and
underlying political disputes and development his close and extended family. NTJ also sought to
challenges that the Islamic State has exploited may preach and provide social services to the community.
create ongoing openings for the group if governance There was no immediate concern among those in
and reconstruction needs go unmet. Kattankudy that Zahran was radicalizing young
people or was planning an attack locally. Locals
On 23 March 2019, the US backed Syrian thought his beliefs were a bit unorthodox, and
Democratic Forces (SDF) officially declared the becoming extreme, but did not consider Zahran to be
end of the Islamic State’s caliphate, after the terror a security threat. Some members of the SLTJ, during
group’s last territorial hold, the village of Baghouz this period, had tipped off Sri Lankan intelligence
and its roughly 3 km long boundary, fell to the anti- that Zahran was preaching extreme messages and
ISIS armada led by the Kurds. Although ISIS was that he was someone the government should watch
beaten back by the Global Coalition and no longer closely.
occupies any territory, it still poses a threat to the
world. Degrading and destroying this terrorist group In 2015 a state intelligence arm had warned
and their poisonous ideology is vital for wider global the Government over what it fears is the radicalization
security. of Muslim groups turning out to be supporters of the
ISIS – the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The concerns
Genesis of Islamist extremist activities were reflected in a top secret report sent to higher
in Sri Lanka authorities in the government10 . The Government
had learnt that 45 Sri Lankans from nine families had
The earliest Tawheed organizations in Sri entered Syria where heavy fighting was raging. That
Lanka—largely salafi in outlook—date back to the was after arriving in Turkey and crossing the border.
mid-1950s. They started to preach to communities, Some had even transited in Pakistan to cover their
but also began to provide social services. The trail. Whilst some were engaged in combat roles,
funding started to come in from the Saudi Arabian others were said to be deployed in logistical tasks.
government and other donors locally and abroad. In July 2015, it was reported that a 37-year-old Abu
As money started to roll in, divisions also started Shuraih Sailani, Sri Lankan, fighting with the ISIS,
within these early organizations. One of these was died in a bombing raid in Syria.
the All Ceylon Tawheed Jamaat (ACTJ), which was
created in 1998. By 2005 more disagreements about Starting in late 2016, Zahran’s public
9. Amarasingam, A., (2019). Terrorism on the Teardrop Island: Understanding the Easter 2019 Attacks in Sri Lanka.
10. The Sunday Times. ( 27th Dec 2015)
11. Amarasingam, A., (2019). Terrorism on the Teardrop Island: Understanding the Easter 2019 Attacks in Sri Lanka.
12. Opcit.
monitoring and occasionally striking its affiliates funding sources and overall direction led to the
and personnel elsewhere. Parallel U.S. assistance formation of the Sri Lankan Tawheed Jamaat (SLTJ).
efforts support stabilization in areas once held by The SLTJ, formed a partnership with its counterpart
the group, and diplomatic efforts have promoted in the Indian province of Tamil Nadu and worked
political reconciliation among local factions in closely with them9.
countries where Islamic State supporters are active.
The United States also provides security assistance It is around this time that Zahran Hashim was
to partner governments in support of operations finishing his theological studies at Jamiathul Falah
against Islamic State affiliates and to strengthen Arabic College in Kattankudy, a traditional madrassa
the ability of partners to deter and respond to in Sri Lanka established in 1955. Upon leaving the
Islamic State attacks. Evolving counterterrorism madrassa, Zahran along with some people he knew
cooperation and intelligence sharing efforts among in Kattankudy founded an organization called Darul
a wider network of concerned governments seek to Athar in 2007. This organization, according to locals,
further limit the ability of IS supporters to carry out had nothing to do with the SLTJ, and they often
transnational terrorist attacks. disagreed with each other on various theological
issues. In 2012, due to disagreements in religious
Interrelated conflicts and political crises in beliefs, Darul Athar decided to ban him from the
Iraq, Syria, and other countries where the Islamic organization. Zahran then, in 2012, created the
State operates complicate efforts to address and National Tawheed Jamaat (NTJ).
durably eliminate the threats posed by the group.
Military operations may reduce the numbers of The National Tawheed Jamaat, began simply
IS fighters and liberate IS-held territory, but the as an organization made up of Zahran Hashim and
underlying political disputes and development his close and extended family. NTJ also sought to
challenges that the Islamic State has exploited may preach and provide social services to the community.
create ongoing openings for the group if governance There was no immediate concern among those in
and reconstruction needs go unmet. Kattankudy that Zahran was radicalizing young
people or was planning an attack locally. Locals
On 23 March 2019, the US backed Syrian thought his beliefs were a bit unorthodox, and
Democratic Forces (SDF) officially declared the becoming extreme, but did not consider Zahran to be
end of the Islamic State’s caliphate, after the terror a security threat. Some members of the SLTJ, during
group’s last territorial hold, the village of Baghouz this period, had tipped off Sri Lankan intelligence
and its roughly 3 km long boundary, fell to the anti- that Zahran was preaching extreme messages and
ISIS armada led by the Kurds. Although ISIS was that he was someone the government should watch
beaten back by the Global Coalition and no longer closely.
occupies any territory, it still poses a threat to the
world. Degrading and destroying this terrorist group In 2015 a state intelligence arm had warned
and their poisonous ideology is vital for wider global the Government over what it fears is the radicalization
security. of Muslim groups turning out to be supporters of the
ISIS – the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The concerns
Genesis of Islamist extremist activities were reflected in a top secret report sent to higher
in Sri Lanka authorities in the government10 . The Government
had learnt that 45 Sri Lankans from nine families had
The earliest Tawheed organizations in Sri entered Syria where heavy fighting was raging. That
Lanka—largely salafi in outlook—date back to the was after arriving in Turkey and crossing the border.
mid-1950s. They started to preach to communities, Some had even transited in Pakistan to cover their
but also began to provide social services. The trail. Whilst some were engaged in combat roles,
funding started to come in from the Saudi Arabian others were said to be deployed in logistical tasks.
government and other donors locally and abroad. In July 2015, it was reported that a 37-year-old Abu
As money started to roll in, divisions also started Shuraih Sailani, Sri Lankan, fighting with the ISIS,
within these early organizations. One of these was died in a bombing raid in Syria.
the All Ceylon Tawheed Jamaat (ACTJ), which was
created in 1998. By 2005 more disagreements about Starting in late 2016, Zahran’s public
9. Amarasingam, A., (2019). Terrorism on the Teardrop Island: Understanding the Easter 2019 Attacks in Sri Lanka.
10. The Sunday Times. ( 27th Dec 2015)
11. Amarasingam, A., (2019). Terrorism on the Teardrop Island: Understanding the Easter 2019 Attacks in Sri Lanka.
12. Opcit.
