There is a widespread conspiracy theory in Sri Lanka now about the identity of the true mastermind of the deadly Easter jihad attacks that targeted Christians on the island on April 21, 2019. Zahran Hashim, an Islamic cleric who was known to the government as a violent jihadist leading up to the massive terror attack, was the leader of the Islamic State (IS) cell responsible for the suicide bombings. However, there are valid reasons to suspect that there were other “handlers” involved in the planning of the terror attack. The shadowy figure, or figures, is collectively called the “Mastermind” in Sri Lanka.
The principal people who are suspected of being the elusive mastermind in this conspiracy theory were high-profile members of the Sri Lankan government at the time of the bombings. The Islamic State central command at the time was located overseas from Sri Lanka, so there was always a real supreme mastermind within the IS caliphate. With the execution of IS Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, nobody will know the real extent of his involvement with the terror attacks in Sri Lanka, or even the help that was received from other IS leaders in their central command roles. Direct evidence shows the wave of IS terror in South and Southeast Asia declined after the death of al-Baghdadi; IS instantly ceased to become an immediate threat.
The elusive mastermind conspiracy theory is very prevalent in the mindset of Sri Lankans. It is being perpetuated by some of the least likely sources there, such as globalists, progressives and the mainstream media. The conspiracy theory appears to be used as a convenient tool in efforts to undermine the majority Buddhist government. In other countries, these same groups are the first to point to any dissenting viewpoints from their official narrative as a conspiracy theory, but suspiciously, inside Sri Lanka, these groups are now the source of these conspiracies. Even jihadists now gravitate to this conspiracy theory and blame the Sri Lankan government for the Easter attacks, in order to deflect blame from themselves and to advance their Islamic agenda. This unholy alliance makes the whole elusive mastermind conspiracy seem more suspicious, and as simply an effort to undermine the government.
Of course, there were likely more experienced IS masterminds involved with the Easter attacks. The attacks likely involved people who were higher in the IS chain of command and who had much more experience in the modern tactics of terrorism than a simple hate preacher such as Zahran Hashim, the bombers’ mentor. This is a conspiracy fact. And there are likely other jihadists who regularly heard the messages of Zahran Hashim, because his content was allowed to gain followers on all social media platforms, without any fear of cancellation. Therefore, there are many other unidentified jihadists in Sri Lanka who follow the same ideology and are waiting to join in the next episode of jihad. These “handlers” higher up in the IS caliphate chain of command usually take final film recordings of the terrorists on the night before the attack, both for their own celebratory purposes and for the later recruitment of new members.
Al-Baghdadi or someone in the IS caliphate was likely on a video conference with the terrorists the night before the attacks, while they were in a safe house making final preparations. This safe house procedure gives the suicide bombers less chance of backing out of the plans at the last minute; it prevents them from going to the authorities to save their own life rather than take part in the forthcoming attack. In fact, the suicide bombers are probably isolated from their families and friends in the safe house, in order to prevent any sudden change in plans from an emotional farewell. The suicide bombers are well protected as invaluable assets of the IS caliphate in the final hours leading up to the attacks.
The IS caliphate is very much alive today, and is working towards planning its next terror attacks across the world. That also is not a conspiracy theory. IS make no secrets about its goals.
An influential Buddhist monk, Venerable Galagoda Gnanasara Thero, made a statement with this additional context on the elusive mastermind at work in Sri Lanka who is actively planning the next terror attack. Ven. Gnanasara stated in public comments during a television show on September 13, 2021 that he knows there will absolutely be another Easter attack in Sri Lanka, and he further stated that the identity of the elusive mastermind is “Allah.” According to one report , Ven. Gnanasara said on public television that “a second extremist attack is imminent.”
The implication of his revelation is that until “Allah” has been removed, there will be continued terror attacks, or rather he was cleverly blaming Islam as being the root cause for the Easter attacks, so that until Islam has disappeared from the Sri Lanka, there will be more terror attacks.
Ven. Gnanasara leads a coalition of Buddhists in Sri Lanka called Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force), or BBS, which seeks to preserve the cultural traditions of the indigenous Buddhists of the island. The BBS is a peaceful assembly of the indigenous people who form the majority population on the island. It is controversial only because it does not conform to the globalist narratives; nonetheless, its members are peaceful in their activism and political objectives, because they believe in open dialogue, unlike their jihadist counterparts.
The principal people who are suspected of being the elusive mastermind in this conspiracy theory were high-profile members of the Sri Lankan government at the time of the bombings. The Islamic State central command at the time was located overseas from Sri Lanka, so there was always a real supreme mastermind within the IS caliphate. With the execution of IS Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, nobody will know the real extent of his involvement with the terror attacks in Sri Lanka, or even the help that was received from other IS leaders in their central command roles. Direct evidence shows the wave of IS terror in South and Southeast Asia declined after the death of al-Baghdadi; IS instantly ceased to become an immediate threat.
The elusive mastermind conspiracy theory is very prevalent in the mindset of Sri Lankans. It is being perpetuated by some of the least likely sources there, such as globalists, progressives and the mainstream media. The conspiracy theory appears to be used as a convenient tool in efforts to undermine the majority Buddhist government. In other countries, these same groups are the first to point to any dissenting viewpoints from their official narrative as a conspiracy theory, but suspiciously, inside Sri Lanka, these groups are now the source of these conspiracies. Even jihadists now gravitate to this conspiracy theory and blame the Sri Lankan government for the Easter attacks, in order to deflect blame from themselves and to advance their Islamic agenda. This unholy alliance makes the whole elusive mastermind conspiracy seem more suspicious, and as simply an effort to undermine the government.
Of course, there were likely more experienced IS masterminds involved with the Easter attacks. The attacks likely involved people who were higher in the IS chain of command and who had much more experience in the modern tactics of terrorism than a simple hate preacher such as Zahran Hashim, the bombers’ mentor. This is a conspiracy fact. And there are likely other jihadists who regularly heard the messages of Zahran Hashim, because his content was allowed to gain followers on all social media platforms, without any fear of cancellation. Therefore, there are many other unidentified jihadists in Sri Lanka who follow the same ideology and are waiting to join in the next episode of jihad. These “handlers” higher up in the IS caliphate chain of command usually take final film recordings of the terrorists on the night before the attack, both for their own celebratory purposes and for the later recruitment of new members.
Al-Baghdadi or someone in the IS caliphate was likely on a video conference with the terrorists the night before the attacks, while they were in a safe house making final preparations. This safe house procedure gives the suicide bombers less chance of backing out of the plans at the last minute; it prevents them from going to the authorities to save their own life rather than take part in the forthcoming attack. In fact, the suicide bombers are probably isolated from their families and friends in the safe house, in order to prevent any sudden change in plans from an emotional farewell. The suicide bombers are well protected as invaluable assets of the IS caliphate in the final hours leading up to the attacks.
The IS caliphate is very much alive today, and is working towards planning its next terror attacks across the world. That also is not a conspiracy theory. IS make no secrets about its goals.
An influential Buddhist monk, Venerable Galagoda Gnanasara Thero, made a statement with this additional context on the elusive mastermind at work in Sri Lanka who is actively planning the next terror attack. Ven. Gnanasara stated in public comments during a television show on September 13, 2021 that he knows there will absolutely be another Easter attack in Sri Lanka, and he further stated that the identity of the elusive mastermind is “Allah.” According to one report , Ven. Gnanasara said on public television that “a second extremist attack is imminent.”
The implication of his revelation is that until “Allah” has been removed, there will be continued terror attacks, or rather he was cleverly blaming Islam as being the root cause for the Easter attacks, so that until Islam has disappeared from the Sri Lanka, there will be more terror attacks.
Ven. Gnanasara leads a coalition of Buddhists in Sri Lanka called Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force), or BBS, which seeks to preserve the cultural traditions of the indigenous Buddhists of the island. The BBS is a peaceful assembly of the indigenous people who form the majority population on the island. It is controversial only because it does not conform to the globalist narratives; nonetheless, its members are peaceful in their activism and political objectives, because they believe in open dialogue, unlike their jihadist counterparts.
