In the third week of last month, warnings were issued about the potential risk of an attack targeting places where Israelis are staying in the Arugam Bay area of Sri Lanka. Fortunately, no such incidents have occurred so far. The Sri Lankan government has implemented a comprehensive program to ensure the safety of tourists, which is currently ongoing.
Measures have been implemented to enhance security for tourists in Arugam Bay, involving cooperation between local police and military forces. There are suspicions surrounding an individual named Bilan, who is believed to be behind a plot to attack Jewish visitors in Arugam Bay. This information was previously reported on Linefour news.
It is suspected that Bilan has frequently visited Iraq and was sent two hundred thousand dollars for the attack on the Jewish religious centre in Arugam Bay.
Farhad Shakeri, who shot Trump, is behind the Arugam Bay attack plan
However, another piece of information has been revealed regarding the related plan. This means that the person who shot Donald Trump, who became the American president, is also behind this plan. A man named Farhad Shakeri planned to assassinate Donald Trump, who was to be sworn in as the new president of the United States. The US Department of Justice had recently (09) reported that he had planned to kill Israelis staying in Sri Lanka.
Carlisle Rivera, 49, and Jonathan Loadholter, 36, were arrested in Staten Island, New York. Reports revealed that information about a plan to be launched in Sri Lanka was disclosed during their questioning.
How the plan was revealed
The information has been disclosed by the two arrested suspects. A 51-year-old Iranian named Farhad Shakeri, who was planning to attack President Trump and Israelis in Sri Lanka, has not yet been apprehended. American security forces suspect that he has now gone to Iran, where he is believed to be safe.
Criminal charges have been filed in court against the arrested two suspects. Additionally, plans are underway to arrest Iranian national Farhad Shakeri, identified as the main suspect, and to file charges against him as well.
A press release issued by the US Department of Justice stated that these assassination plots were planned based on the belief that Trump would lose the presidential election. It has also been confirmed by intelligence information that Trump is planning to be shot dead after the election. The reports also indicate that these plans have been prepared under the leadership of a representative of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The announcement of the US Department of Justice
The US Department of Justice points out that Shakeri received instructions to launch attacks targeting two Jewish Americans living in New York. Also, it has been revealed in the investigations carried out so far that they have promised to give 5 hundred thousand dollars for the killing of one person. The press release issued by the US Department of Justice states that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has given those promises.
Farhad Shakeri is a person who was arrested in Sri Lanka
Shakeri was also involved in attacks on Israelis visiting Sri Lanka. The U.S. Department of Justice indicates that the global spread of hostility towards Israel is a significant aspect of this plan. Shakeri came to America as a child, having sought refuge. He was deported from the United States in 2008 after serving 14 years in prison for violating laws related to theft.
Some media outlets have reported that an Iranian national named Shakeri, who is accused of planning to kill Trump, was arrested in Sri Lanka in 2019. The Government of India has also confirmed this information.
Reports indicate that he was apprehended in Sri Lanka while carrying a significant amount of heroin, but he was later released. Currently, Shakeri is believed to fulfil various roles on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, with assassination plans being a primary responsibility.
Additionally, drug trafficking is another task assigned to him. It has been revealed that he leverages connections he formed with a criminal network during his imprisonment in the United States to facilitate his criminal activities.
Iran, Israel rift and Arugambe
Warnings of a potential terrorist attack in the Arugam Bay area have emerged against the backdrop of ongoing military tensions worldwide. Last October, the US embassy issued a warning via its Twitter account, instilling fear again in Sri Lanka. The tourism sector was particularly affected by this situation.
The US Embassy in Colombo has reiterated its warning on its website for American citizens travelling to Sri Lanka: “The embassy has received credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist spots in Arugam Bay.”
Due to the serious risk posed by this threat, the embassy has decided to impose a travel ban on Arugam Bay until further notice. Meanwhile, a resident of the Mawanella area took steps to detain an individual who was seen wandering around the home of the Israeli Consul General in Nadimale, Dehiwala.
A separate investigation into this incident is currently underway. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 of last year, intelligence agencies have been vigilant regarding the security of foreigners visiting Arugam Bay.
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry
According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the tourism industry generated 2.16 billion dollars during the first eight months of 2024, a growth of 66% compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, more Israeli tourists visit Sri Lanka than American tourists.
During a press conference held at the Ministry of Public Security on October 24, Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya stated that 575 Israelis have been identified as being in Sri Lanka.
They prefer to spend their time on the East Coast. In late 2018, Lonely Planet, the world’s most popular travel guide publisher, named Sri Lanka the best country to visit in 2019. However, the Easter attacks significantly impacted the tourism industry. It is crucial that the situation in Arugam Bay does not compromise the sector’s rebuilding efforts.
The problem arising from the Sri Lankan society
In Sri Lanka, there is a discussion about Arugam Bay, while the Israeli Air Force recently carried out a significant attack on Iranian military targets. This occurred last Saturday morning. Following the attack, the Israeli Air Force stated that it did not target any civilians or oil refineries.
The United States had also urged Israel not to attack Iranian oil depots. In response to the airstrikes, Iran reported that two of its soldiers were killed. Additionally, on October 1, Iran launched a large ballistic missile attack on Israel.
Iranian authorities reported that the attacks targeted locations in Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam provinces. The Iranian military claimed it successfully countered the attacks, although some areas experienced “limited damage.” This situation highlights the ongoing conflict in West Asia. In light of these developments, countries like Sri Lanka have taken measures to manage the repercussions of this conflict.
We need to be cautious about Mehmed Ahmed Bilan. Who is he, and what motivates him to launch an attack in Sri Lanka? This situation poses significant problems for society. Bilan allegedly organized an attack on a Jewish community in Arugambay.
Reports also indicate that he has frequently visited Iraq. Who was the mastermind behind the transfer of two hundred thousand dollars to Bilan for the attack on the Jewish religious centre in Arugam Bay? Could this be linked to Iran? Sri Lankan society is now searching for answers to these pressing questions.
