Fresh details emerge on Sri Lanka bomber who studied in UK

Fresh details have emerged about Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, a former UK student who is suspected of carrying out a Sri Lanka suicide bombing.

Mohamed travelled to the UK on 1 January 2006 and returned to Sri Lanka on 29 September 2007, Sky sources have said.

He made another trip to Britain in 2008.

New CCTV images have emerged showing Mohamed outside the Tropical Inn Hotel in Dehiwala before detonating his device on Easter Sunday.

It comes as police in Sri Lanka issued an appeal for information about three women and one man suspected of involvement in the bombings.

Police released images of the suspects who appeared to be in their 20s, but did not elaborate on how they may have been involved.

Mohamed is believed to be one of nine who carried out a series of blasts targeting churches and hotels in the country, killing around 250 people - including eight Britons - and injuring more than 500.

Mohamed, who was born on 18 December 1982, is believed to have studied in the southeast of England at some point between 2006 and 2007.

He later did a postgraduate course in Australia, before returning to settle in Sri Lanka.

In an interview with Sky News, Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe admitted the "failure" of his government to ensure security.

He claimed this was due to a "breakdown in government machinery" and intelligence not being passed on to either himself or ministers.

"If we had known the information and we had not acted then I would certainly say the government had to be held responsible and [should] leave office," he said.

Mr Wickremesinghe added there were "probably" some links between the attackers and Islamic State and it was likely the bombers had international assistance.

He revealed Mohamed had been monitored by Sri Lankan police but, although they found him to be "extremist", they found no evidence of "violent" attacks.

Sri Lankan authorities are looking at whether Mohamed had travelled to Syria, as some others had between 2016 and 2017, Mr Wickremesinghe added.

He admitted his country was unable to act against those who travelled to Syria because there is no law in Sri Lanka against joining a foreign terror group.

Mr Wickremesinghe said his government would be changing the law to address this.

Eight of the suicide bombers have been identified, with deputy defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene saying they were well educated and from wealthy families .

One woman, thought to be the wife of one of the bombers, blew herself up at the home of her father-in-law, who has been taken into custody, according to Sri Lanka's former navy chief.

It is reported that two of his sons were bombers.

Police have so far made 60 arrests, all of whom are Sri Lankan nationals, and 32 people remain in custody.

Sunday's coordinated suicide bombings targeted targeted three churches and three hotels, with authorities blaming a local group, National Thowfeek Jamaath, for the attacks.

On Tuesday, Islamic State said it carried out the attacks before publishing images of the group's leader, Zahran Hashmi, pledging loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi.

Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe admitted intelligence agencies had information that could have stopped the attacks if it had been passed on correctly.

He said there was a "breakdown of communication".

The leader of the Sri Lankan parliament, Lakshman Kiriella, added that "some top intelligence officials hid the intelligence information purposefully".

He said: "Information was there, but the top brass security officials did not take appropriate actions. Somebody is controlling these top intelligence officials. The security council is doing politics. We need to investigate into this."