Sri Lankan police arrest two suspects for allegedly planning attack on Israeli tourism spot

Sri Lankan police arrested two suspects on Thursday under the suspicion that they were planning a terror attack on tourist spots frequented by Israeli citizens in  Arugam Bay area, BBC News reported.

A day earlier, Israeli citizens were warned by Israel's national security council to immediately leave some tourist areas in southern Sri Lanka over the threat of a possible terrorist attack.

Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya reported that intelligence warned Sri Lankan authorities on October 7 of plans to attack foreign nations.

Targeting Israeli nationals

Police Media Spokesperson DIG Nihal Talduwa said during a briefing that there is a building which Israeli citizens are staying in the Arugam Bay area, which would have likely been the target of an attack.

"There is a building in the Arugambe area that has been established by the Israelis. A hall-like place. In general, the areas of Arugambe and Pothuvil have attracted the attention of Israelis because of their strong interest in surfing,'' Talduwa said. "In the last few days, we have received information that there may be some danger to the Israelis here. Due to this, according to the instructions of the Senior DIG in charge of the Eastern Province, roadblocks were used in that area and people and vehicles were checked recently.

"Today, the police, the police special task force, the army and the navy and especially the intelligence agencies have been deployed in the areas where the security is needed and the security has been strengthened. Apart from this area, security has been increased in other areas. We have informed the police to keep the security of all tourists at a high level." 

The Administrative Officer of the Pothuvil Divisional Secretariat, M.M.M. Zuhair told the BBC that Israelis worked in several of the hotels in the area and some had purchased a building, turning it into a synagogue. Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror reported that the synagogue was a Chabad house.

In the first eight months of this year, 1.5 million tourists arrived in Sri Lanka, including a total of 20,515 from Israel, government data showed.

Local community leaders placed the blame on Israelis overstaying their visas, with SJB Candidate for the Matara District, Rehan Jayawickreme complaining to the Daily Mirror that "Due to these Israeli nationals unlawfully staying here, Sri Lanka will soon become a battleground like elsewhere." 

Israelis in Sri Lanka called to evacuate immediately following terror threat at tourist beaches

Israel's national security council called on Israelis on Wednesday to immediately leave some tourist areas in southern Sri Lanka over the threat of a possible terrorist attack.

The agency said the warning pertained to the area of Arugam Bay and beaches in the south and west of Sri Lanka, and stemmed from "current information about a terrorist threat focused on tourist areas and beaches".

The security council did not specify the exact nature of the threat and called on Israelis in the rest of Sri Lanka to be cautious and refrain from holding large gatherings in public areas.

The US embassy in Sri Lanka also released a security alert stating it had received "credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area".

Attacks on Israeli nationals outside of Israel

Since Hamas's October 7 attacks on southern Israel in 2023, terrorist groups have repeatedly targeted Israeli and Jewish communities in and outside of Israel.

In May, police thwarted an ISIS-inspired attack on British Jewry.

Only last month, a Pakistani national was arrested for attempting to travel to New York to carry out an attack on Jews on the anniversary of Hamas's attacks. 

In August, police in Argentina arrested seven suspects who were accused of planning an attack on Jewish targets.