Russian Ambassador Yury B. Materiy on December 24 apprised Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara about terrorist financing activities by extremist groups under the pretext of providing COVID-19 aid, reports Daily Mirror. The Minister called on the Ambassador and discussed bilateral cooperation and assistance in view of the containment of COVID-19. According to reports, the Ambassador said many extremist groups were sending money for terrorist activities under the pretext of providing humanitarian assistance to various organisations and charities. The Ambassador requested the Minister to work closely with his counterpart in Russia to marginalise such groups. The Minister, in response to the Ambassador, said a strategy was worked out after the end of the civil war to increase the intelligence units from three to seven. He recalled that 160 ‘Madrasa scholars’ were deported after they were found spreading extremism.