Colombo (News1st) – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe notes that Sri Lanka does not have any laws to arrest individuals who join a foreign terrorist organisation.

Speaking to Tom Cheshire of Sky News, the premier noted that the Government was aware that Sri Lankan nationals who joined the Islamic state had returned to the country but added that they could not be arrested as joining a foreign terrorist organisation is not against the law.

The 5 time Prime Minister of the country and senior statesman had admitted the “failure” of his government to ensure security but chalked it up to a “breakdown in government machinery” as the relevant intelligence was not passed onto either himself or members of his cabinet.

“If we had known the information and we had not acted then I would certainly say the government had to be held responsible and [should] leave office,” he said.

Even after the deadly bombing that claimed the lives of 253, after being downgraded from the earlier figure of 359 last night (April 25), the Leader of the UNP noted that he had not considered resigning from the post of PM.

"We knew they went to Syria, they joined a terrorist organisation."

Sri Lanka prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe tells Sky News the Easter Sunday attackers had international links.

Get more on this story here: https://t.co/d30xZQmisk pic.twitter.com/VTb72ubInp

— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 25, 2019

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