Extremists expelled from Mawanella mosque ... try to create religious discord by breaking Buddha statues

Extremists expelled from Mawanella mosque ... try to create religious discord by breaking Buddha statues

A group of young extremist Muslims who had tried to create a religious clash in Mawanella area some days back are now in police custody. They had damaged Buddha statues by dealing blows with hammers at various locations coming under jurisdiction of Mawanella police. 

6 of these young men of ages between 20 and 30 years were apprehended yesterday (27), police say. One suspect of two individuals had been engaged in attacking a Buddha statue at Lindulawatta
junction in Mawanella and trying to destroy it when villagers had got hold of that suspect and tied him to a tree and on his confession it was possible to get at the other suspects. One suspect was taken into custody while working in a hotel down Kalugalla Mawatha while two others have come and surrendered to Kegalle police, police say. 

The main suspect responsible for this process of vandalism is in hiding, it is reported while the suspect tied to a tree and handed over to police is presently taking treatment at Kegalle National Hospital. The six young men who have been taken into custody had gone on motor bikes on 23rd night to Randiwela, Hingula and Mahanthegama and had dealt blows with iron hammers to Buddha statues erected at two junctions and thus damaged the statues. 

What one suspect who was taken into custody has said was that he has read the book Q'ran and that there is no one else other than God Allah and therefore he thought of destroying Buddha statues this way. A hammer used by one suspect who was arrested was found by police in his home. 

This gang of suspects it is learned belongs to be members of an extremist group and the main suspect is supposed to be inviting the others to his home in Mawanella and is conducting classes, motivating them to engage in vandalism of this nature and as a result he too has got the inclination to do so, it is reported. 

Whatever it is, what was revealed at investigations conducted by police is that because of their extremist ideas they had been expelled by Mawanella Muslim mosque. Later they had been inclined to form a separate group bearing these ideals.

Operations are still underway to arrest the main suspect. A team of Criminal Investigation Department has been directed to Mawanella in this connection, it is reported.