Sri Lanka says 32 'elite' Muslims have joined Islamic State in Syria

Thirty-two Sri Lankan Muslims from "well-educated and elite" families have joined Islamic State in Syria, the justice minister has said, adding that the government will not allow the spread of extremism in the island nation.

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe's statement to parliament came on Friday as President Maithripala Sirisena has been criticized for failing to curb religious hate speech amid the emergence of both Muslim and Buddhist extremist groups.

"All these (Muslims) are not from ordinary families. These people are from the families which are considered as well-educated and elite," Rajapakshe said, citing reports by some unnamed foreign intelligence agencies.

He also said the government was aware of some foreigners coming to Sri Lanka to spread Islamic extremism.

"There is a greater fear among the public about ISIS... If somebody tries to spread extremism in this country, we will not allow for that from today. The law of this country is no different to Buddhist monks or ordinary people."

More than 70 percent of Sri Lanka's 20 million people are Buddhists, about 13 percent are Hindu, while Muslims make up around 10 percent.

Some extreme Sinhala Buddhist groups have threatened Muslims and their businesses on social media while attacks on mosques and Muslim-owned properties have continued under the Sirisena administration.

Muslim leaders in 2014 warned the government of possible Islamic radicalisation and Muslims turning to foreign Islamic groups for support because of attacks by Buddhist hardliners.