President Maithripala Sirisena said the emergency measure would prohibit any garment which “hinders identification” as a national security risk, after blasts which killed hundreds were…
President Maithripala Sirisena said the emergency measure would prohibit any garment which “hinders identification” as a national security risk, after blasts which killed hundreds were attributed to the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) group.
“The ban is to ensure national security… No-one should obscure their faces to make identification difficult,” the president’s office confirmed in a brief statement.
The Islamic State has also claimed responsibility for the attacks, which is something it often does following mass casualty events regardless of whether or not it has a legitimate link with them — although Sri Lankan deputy defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene has said the authorities believe the attacks “could not have been done just locally” and are seeking to establish if the NTJ had assistance from larger terror networks overseas.
