Sri Lanka took a massive step in banning TV channel of Zakir Naik because it was thoroughly involved in infamous terror activities.
Two of country’s major cable TV operators namely Dialogue and SLT removed controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s Peace TV from their channel list itself.
The move came into effect after the deadly Easter Sunday bombings which neutralised at least 250 people. Nonetheless, the Sri Lankan government didn’t ban the controversial Peace TV.
Earlier, India and Bangladesh too banned the channel founded by Zakir Naik.
Bangladesh also suspended the channel that featured Zakir Naik’s preachings after media reported that militants who assaulted a Dhaka cafe in 2016 were his admirers.
Who is Zakir Naik?
Zakir Naik is wanted by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) on charges of propagating terrorism. His Islamic Research Foundation organisation was handed a five-year ban.
The NIA on Monday arrested Riyas Aboobacke (alias Abu Dujana) who was known to be the mastermind in carrying out the suicide attacks in Kerala.
The 29-year-old who is a resident of Kerala admitted that he was radicalised a few years ago. Riyas also said he was closely following the speeches of the main accused in the Sri Lanka suicide bombings, Zahran Hashim, for over a year.
Though the Islamic State (IS) group claimed full responsibility for Sri Lanka bomb blasts, the Sri Lankan government blamed local jihadi group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) for the bombings on April 21.