Troops have been sent to a Jewish community center in Sri Lanka’s surf town after the US warned of a possible attack on the area

Sri Lanka deployed troops and increased police presence around a Jewish community center in a popular diving town on Wednesday after the US embassy warned American citizens of possible attacks on popular tourist sites in the area.

The increased security and alert came after social media called for a boycott of Israeli businesses east of Arugam Bay.

“The information was that a place called ‘Chabad House’ owned by the Israelis might be attacked and we have taken measures to strengthen security,” said police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa.

He said that recently there has been tension between Jewish visitors visiting the Chabad House and a large number of Muslims in the area.

Army and marines as well as police commandos have been deployed in the area to strengthen vigilance and human roadblocks, he said.

Protests by local Muslim groups against Israel’s fighting with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have gained widespread public support in the predominantly Buddhist South Asian nation.

Israelis accounted for less than 1.5% of the 1.5 million tourists who visited the island in the first nine months of this year – or about 20,000 people in total.

But Arugam Bay, a surfing hotspot about 250 kilometers east of Colombo by road, is a popular destination for Israeli tourists.

In a rare warning of an imminent threat, the US embassy in Colombo said on Wednesday it had “received credible information warning of attacks targeting popular locations” east of Arugam Bay.

“Due to the high risk posed by this threat, the Embassy has placed a travel restriction on Arugam Bay Embassy staff from then until further notice,” the embassy said, adding that “US citizens are strongly urged to avoid the Arugam Bay area.”

Britain and Canada shared the US warning on their websites, while the Russian embassy advised its citizens to avoid crowded places while visiting the island.

Meanwhile, Israel’s National Security Council has “raised the level of travel awareness in Sri Lanka due to credible terrorist threats to tourists and coastal areas.”

Israel urged its residents in Arugam Bay and other areas on the south-west coast to “leave the country or at least go to the capital Colombo, where there is a local security force.” A Level 4 travel warning covers the Sri Lankan cities of Ahangame, Galle, Hikkaduwa and Weligama.

Along with Aruum Bay and other coastal regions, Israel’s National Security Council has raised the risk of travel throughout Sri Lanka to Level 3. The National Security Council rates travel warnings on a scale of 1 to 4, with warnings issued at Level 4 indicating “high level of threat” and alerts given to Level 3 indicating “moderate threat.” The location given the latest rating means that Israeli security forces recommend avoiding unnecessary travel to the destination.

“Furthermore, the NSC emphasizes that Israelis in Sri Lanka must exercise caution,” the travel notice said. It urged citizens currently in Sri Lanka to “avoid publicly displaying anything that may identify you as Israeli, such as t-shirts with Hebrew writing, or any sign that reveals your religion or nationality.”

Security officials also warned against “gathering of Israeli citizens in public places where there is no security.”

A new hotline

There has been no attack in Sri Lanka since the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, which killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners.

The planned attacks on three luxury hotels and three churches were blamed on a local jihadist group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Tourism numbers fell sharply after that, only to be hit again during the 2022 economic downturn that sparked civil unrest.

But foreign tourist numbers have grown after last year’s International Monetary Fund bailout helped stabilize the economy.

Following a warning from the US embassy, ​​police said they are launching a new security plan to protect tourists across the island.

“Due to the war situation in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, the police, together with the intelligence agencies, are working on a plan to protect tourists and resorts,” said a statement issued by the Sri Lankan police.

It did not provide details, but said a hotline had been set up for visitors to report any security concerns to authorities.