The Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attacks on churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka. “Those who carried out the attack, which the day before yesterday targeted citizens of the US-led coalition and Christians in Sri Lanka, are Islamic State fighters,” reports the IS mouthpiece Amaq. However, the terrorist militia did not provide any evidence for this claim. ISIS refers to the citizens of countries belonging to the international anti-IS coalition as “citizens of the coalition”.
The Sri Lankan government believes the acts were intended as retaliation for the attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Revenge and hatred, not religion, motivated the perpetrators, Deputy Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardene told parliament. An Australian right-wing extremist killed 50 people in Christchurch in mid-March.
Apparently brothers among the assassins
Two Muslim brothers are apparently responsible for two suicide bombings on hotels in the capital Colombo. The sons of a wealthy spice merchant from Colombo posed as guests and blew themselves up at the Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels, the AFP news agency reported, citing police. The brothers had formed a “terror cell” within their families, an investigator is quoted as saying.
According to the government, 42 people are in custody after the attacks, including a Syrian citizen. One of the assassins was arrested a few months ago for damaging Buddha statues. Nine of those arrested were employees of a factory owned by one of the other perpetrators.
Government assumes international network
The government yesterday blamed an extremist Islamist group with links to the National Thowheeth Jamaath group for the attacks. She is convinced that the perpetrators must have had help from abroad. On Easter Sunday, a total of seven suicide bombers blew themselves up in three churches and three luxury hotels. A public emergency came into force last night. According to the law, for example, house searches are possible without the permission of a court and arrests without a warrant.
The death toll rose to 311, according to official figures. Thirty-seven foreigners are among the victims. More than 500 injured people are still being treated in hospitals.
State mourning in Sri Lanka
In the morning, three minutes of silence were held for the victims. In the village of Negombo, where a church had been attacked, there was a mass funeral. Across the country, people gathered for funeral ceremonies – shared with bereaved people like Sudesh Column.
The father of the family lost his wife and five-year-old daughter: “My daughter and my wife were so looking forward to the Easter Mass. Shortly before the end I am already out of the church. Then I heard this loud bang. My daughter was lying on the floor. Next to my wife. They just lay there. Both dead.”
