The identities of all the suicide bombers who carried out attacks in Colombo and elsewhere on Easter Sunday (April 21) have been confirmed through DNA tests, Police Media Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.
He said a DNA test has confirmed that National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) leader Zaharan Hashim was among the bombers killed during the suicide attacks.
He said the Government Analyst’s Department yesterday confirmed that one of the suicide bombers at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo was Zaharan. He told the daily media briefing that the report of the tests carried out by the Government Analyst’s Department using blood samples collected from the close relatives of those identified as suicide bombers were handed over yesterday.
According to Gunasekera the attack on St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade was carried out by Alahudeen Ahamed. The attack on St.Sebastian’s Church, Katuwapitiya was carried out by M.Hasthun from Valachchenai.
The attack on the Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo was carried out by Mohamed Mubarak.
The attack on the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo was carried out by Zaharan from Kattankudy and Mohamed Ibrahim Ilham Ahamed from Dematagoda.
The attack on the Zion Church in Batticaloa was carried out by Mohamed Nazer Mohamed from Kattankudy. The attack on the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo was carried out by Mohamed Ibrahim Inshaf from Dematagoda.
The suicide bomber responsible for the explosion at Tropical Inn Dehiwala was identified as Abdul Latheef. The explosion at the house at Mahawila Gardens in Dematagoda was carried out by Fathima Jiffry, the wife of Ilham Ahamed, the suicide bomber from the Shangri-La Hotel. Gunasekera said the three children who died in the explosion at Dematagoda have been confirmed as the children of Fathima and Illham.