Srinagar: Sri Lanka’s army chief has said that some of the people who carried out the April 21 suicide bombings in the island country had travelled to Kashmir and Kerala in India to possibly be part of “terrorism” training activities.

The comments by Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayke is the first confirmation by a senior security official in either of the countries of the terrorists having travelled to India, a link that Indian security agencies have been pursuing since shortly after the attacks in the island nation.

“They had gone to India, travelling to Bangalore, Kashmir and Kerala state, (according to) information available with us,” Senanayke said in an interview to BBC.

Asked if he was aware of the purpose of those visits, the army commander replied: “It would have been for some sort of training or to establish links with other organisations outside the country”.

On bombers’ motive to travel to India, the Sri Lankan Army commander said the exact reason is not yet known.

“Possibly for some sort of training or to make some more links towards the other organisations outside the country,” Sri Lanka Army chief Mahesh Senanayake added.

At least nine suicide bombers were responsible for the deadliest attack in which 253 persons were killed in Sri Lanka in a decade on April 21.

“Situations and military intelligence on a different direction and the others were different and there was a gap that everybody could see today,” Mahesh Senanayake said according to BBC.