President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has raised concerns over the emergence of what he described as a “Super Muslim” ideological movement within segments of Sri Lanka’s Muslim community, warning that the trend, though not widely embraced by the general Muslim population, is showing signs of becoming an extremist threat.
Speaking at a public rally organized by the National People’s Power in Batticaloa, the President drew attention to the formation of this new ideological strand, which he said appears to deviate from the values held by the broader Muslim community. He emphasized that while most Muslims do not support such radicalism, the ideology seems to be gaining traction in isolated circles and may pose future security challenges.
“This is not representative of ordinary Muslims,” the President noted, adding that the ideological shift seems to be heading in a direction that could distort religious identity and cultivate extremist behavior. He stressed that the government must act preemptively to prevent such ideologies from spreading unchecked.
President Dissanayake’s comments come at a time of renewed focus on national unity and counter-extremism efforts, following past incidents of religiously motivated violence that have left lasting scars on the country. His remarks highlight the administration’s commitment to maintaining religious harmony while ensuring that emerging threats do not jeopardize the peace and stability gained in recent years.
The President called for security and intelligence agencies to remain alert and proactive in monitoring extremist developments, stating that the government will not allow any ideology—regardless of its origin—to endanger Sri Lanka’s social fabric or undermine its democratic values.
