More than a week after terror returned to Sri Lanka, the island nation is looking inwards at the growing radicalisation of muslim youth. An example is the small town of kattankudy on the eastern coast, which produced Zahran Hashim, the suspected mastermind of the easter blasts. The coastal town has, over the years, turned from peaceful sufism to extreme wahhabism
An arched gateway featuring verses from the Quran welcomes you to Kattankudy, a coastal town in the eastern Batticaloa district of Sri Lanka. Date palms line the road beyond the arch. Cafes sit cheek by jowl on either side of the road and offer tiny cups of Middle Eastern coffee; a rarity in the land of Ceylon tea. A monument in the shape of an Arabic letter adds to the ambience of the town.
Like the rest of Sri Lanka, Kattankudy, too, is in grief after the April 21 blasts that killed more than 250 people in three cities across the country. But there is fear, too. For the mastermind of the attacks—Zahran Hashim—was a native of Kattankudy. It is here that he established the National Thowheed Jamaath, the radical group that bombed Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. It was banned on April 27. Zahran reportedly blew himself up for the attack.
“He learned Islam the wrong way,” Mohammed Aliyar Falahi, who once taught Zahran, told THE WEEK. Falahi is vice principal at the Jamiathul Falah Arabic College, which had kicked out Zahran because of his radical views. “He was a half-baked person and did not even complete the course to become a maulvi. He was always ambitious, radical and violent in his thoughts.”
But he was not alone. Most of the Muslim youth in Kattankudy have turned to monotheism and radical preaching, which came from the Middle East. Kattankudy, which borders the Tamil towns of Manjanthoduvai and Arayampathy, has 66,000 Muslims. Overall, Muslims make up 9.7 per cent of 21 million people in Sri Lanka. But unlike the ethnic Tamil minority, Muslims have largely kept away from violence and have kept to themselves.
Denne historien er fra May 12, 2019-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 12, 2019-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Themes Of Choice
As Savvy Investors Seek New Avenues, Thematic Mutual Funds Are Gaining Popularity
A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict