Police in Sri Lanka have arrested three people on suspicion of planning to attack Israeli tourists, a government minister said on Thursday.
Minister of Public Security and Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath said three Sri Lankans had been taken into custody and were being interrogated.
He declined to give further details, saying it would hamper the investigation.
Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror newspaper reported that the police made the arrests after being alerted by Indian intelligence agencies about the risk of a terrorist attack on Israeli tourists in Arugam Bay, a popular surfing destination on the eastern coast of the island nation,
Mr Herath said the information received did not include specifics but warned that an “attempt will be made to create disturbances” at places where Israelis hold religious gatherings.
Police had said a Jewish community centre in Arugam Bay had provoked anger in the region's Muslim-majority population.
Israel’s National Security Council on Wednesday issued an advisory saying the travel alert for Arugam Bay and the coastal areas in south and west Sri Lanka had been raised to Level 4 – do not travel. “For those currently in these areas, we recommend leaving the country or at least travelling to the capital city Colombo, where there is a heavier presence of local security forces,” it said.
Mr Herath said there were 575 Israeli citizens in Sri Lanka.
The US embassy issued a security alert urging Americans to leave Arugam Bay, saying it had received “credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations” in the area. Britain, New Zealand, Russia, Canada and Australia issued similar warnings.
Sri Lankan police said security had been increased in Arugam Bay and that officials were on high alert. “This area is a popular spot for surfing and this has attracted a large number of Israeli tourists. We are working to ensure they remain safe,” police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said in a video statement.
The reported threat comes as Israeli continues its devastating war in Gaza which has sparked pro-Palestine protests around the world, including in Sri Lanka. Muslim groups in Arugam Bay have staged protests against the Gaza war as well as Israel's war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon, police said.
The reported plot and subsequent travel advisories could set back Sri Lanka's efforts to boost tourism as it recovers from a severe financial crisis last year. The sector accounts for 10 per cent of GDP but has suffered following the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019 that killed 269 people, including at least 45 foreigners, and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic that halted global travel the following year.
According to government data, Sri Lanka received 1.5 million tourists, including 20,515 from Israel, in the first eight months of the year.
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Results
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UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards
Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi
The burning issue
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Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
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The national orchestra
Tomorrow 2021
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Neighbourhood Watch
The%20Sandman
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
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Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
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Plastic tipping points
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture
• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
• Round up: Experts share their visions of the world to come
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
EXPATS
Tomorrow 2021
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
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• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture
• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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Starfield
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Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Sour%20Grapes
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
