Muslim militants attack un-Islamic activities in east

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 August 2004, 06:56 GMT]
Police in Eravur said an Islamic extremist group is suspected to be involved in the murder of a woman who was shot in the early hours of Monday morning around 3 a.m. and bomb attacks on two houses Sunday night. The Islamic group has been issuing leaflets since last week warning Muslims in Batticaloa north not to indulge in 'immoral' and unislamic activities. The woman was shot dead with T-56 assault rifle, Police said. Her daughter was wounded.

Mrs. Kayathu Mohammed Ayisha Muthu, 69, was shot dead at her home in Kattupalli Street in Eravur by a group of Islamic militants that had gone looking for her son who was not at home at the time, Police said. Aiyisha Muthu had grappled with a gunman when the group tried to search her house when she was shot dead. The group had then shot her daughter Ms. Fousiya Ahmed, 36.

Members of the same Islamic militant group were allegedly involved in bomb attacks on two houses in Kaavathamunai, 35 kilometres north of Batticaloa Sunday night.

The Islamic group had accused the owners of showing porn videos. Members of the group had thrown Molotov Cocktails to scare Muslims found gambling, smoking marijuana, teasing women etc., since it issued warnings against un-Islamic activities last week, Police said. All the incidents were in Muslim villages and towns north of Batticaloa.