Although the security advisor had brought up this suggestion as a solution to address the ISIS threat within the country, the president had questioned if there was any evidence to support this theory.

An intelligence unit head had pointed out it was only on two occasions that issues had arisen with regard to the Burka.

The two incidents were where a man had disguised himself as a woman clad in Burka and come to the Katunayake Airport in order to surprise his wife, and the other was when a Burka was being used to carry out a bank robbery in Kandy.

There is no ISIS threat to the country

President Sirisena pointed out that although Germany and several European countries are in the process of taking measures to ban the Burka, if we attempt to implement the same rules, it could aggravate the religious tensions that prevailed during the previous regime.

He also pointed out that while so far intelligence units had not detected any ISIS threat in the country, there was no need to panic.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera approved the sentiments of the president.