Bodu Bala Sena Withanage said that both Sri Lanka and India will realize the potential security threat posed by the settlement of a large number of Muslim people in Wilpattu area in a few years time, when it will be too late.

Speaking to Asian Mirror, he said that a group such as the ISIS could easily establish a support base in such an area where a large number of Muslim people will reside. He suggested that it could become a threat to India due to the proximity of the Mannar coast to that country.

Withanage further said that the Wilpattu resettlement programme was launched under the auspices of former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa under the previous government of Mahinda Rajapaksa. The BBS complained to former President Rajapaksa and President Maithripala Sirisena on a number of times, he added, saying that the government is yet to respond positively.

Commenting on the threat posed by the ISIS, Dilanthe Withanage said that Parliamentarians and senior police officials were unaware of the terror group.

Withanage said that the BBS warned of the rise of radical groups in Sri Lanka two years ago and specifically named the ISIS as a potential threat a year later. However, the authorities ridiculed these warnings as attempts to create unnecessary trouble, he said.

He also pointed out that the ISIS could become a serious threat in future if not today, pointing out that the government should be aware of the potential dangers before it becomes a reality.