Full Answer
What is the latest on the Sri Lanka blasts?
"Sri Lanka blasts: More than 200 dead in church and hotel bombings across country". CNN. Retrieved 21 April 2019. ^ "Easter Sunday bomb attacks kill more than 200 at Sri Lankan churches, hotels". CBC. Thomson Reuters. 21 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
Are there any Easter bombings in Sri Lanka?
"Sri Lanka Easter bombings" redirects here. For the 1942 Easter Sunday Japanese bombing of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), see Easter Sunday Raid. On 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo, were targeted in a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide bombings.
How many people died in the Sri Lanka bombings?
^ "Sri Lanka bombings: 15 die in blast during raid on suspected hideout". BBC News. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019. ^ Slater, Joanna (27 April 2019). "15 killed in Sri Lanka police raid at suspected terrorist hideout". The Washington Post.
Are Sri Lanka bombing suspects still on the run?
"Sri Lanka bombing suspects may still be on the run, police warn". CNN. Retrieved 26 April 2019. ^ "Sri Lanka blast: Suicide bomber waited in queue for Easter Sunday buffet at Cinnamon Grand Hotel". Gulf news. Retrieved 21 April 2019. ^ "Shangri-La suicide bomber identified". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
Where was the explosion in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lankan Special Task Force personnel gesture outside a house during a raid following an explosion at a property in the Orugodawatta district of Colombo.
What social media sites did the Sri Lankan government block?
The Sri Lankan government blocked social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram while the investigation got under way.
What hotels were destroyed in the Colombo bombing?
More blasts ripped through three luxury hotels in the capital city of Colombo: the Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury.
How many police officers were killed in the bombing of Mahawila Gardens?
The final blast struck a private house in Mahawila Gardens, in Dematagoda, during a raid in connection with the attacks, officials said. Three police officers were killed.
How many people died in the Tamil Tigers?
More than 70,000 people died in the fighting, which ended when Sri Lankan forces defeated the Tamil Tigers in 2009.
What guns did the guards carry at Shangri-La?
Four guards carrying AK-47 rifles stood by a locked gate of a hotel not far from the Shangri-La, and bomb-sniffing dogs checked bags.
What hotel was targeted by a blast?
Colombo's Kingsbury Hotel was targeted by a blast.
How many people were killed in the Sri Lanka bombing?
Three suicide bombers blew themselves up, killing nine of their family members, including three women and six children, while three other terrorists were shot dead by the soldiers. One civilian was caught in the crossfire and died, according to police, while a wounded woman and child were taken to hospital.
When was the Easter bombing in Sri Lanka?
Attacks on three churches, four hotels and a housing complex in Sri Lanka on 21 April 2019. "Sri Lanka Easter bombings" redirects here. For the 1942 Easter Sunday Japanese bombing of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), see Easter Sunday Raid. 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings. Part of terrorism in Sri Lanka, terrorism linked to ISIL, ...
What religions are in Sri Lanka?
The Marxist-Leninist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) also held uprisings in 1971 and 1987–89. The main religions in Sri Lanka are Buddhism (70.3%), Hinduism (12.6%), Islam (9.7%) and Christianity (6.1%), with 82% of the Christians being Roman Catholics.
How many people were killed in the second blast?
The second blast took place in St. Sebastian's Church in the Christian-majority suburb of Negombo, to the north of Colombo and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Over 100 people were killed at St. Sebastian's Church. St.
What was the main cause of the terrorism in Sri Lanka?
Historically, terrorism in Sri Lanka mostly involved coordinated attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) against the government and army during the Sri Lankan Civil War , which began in 1983. The LTTE was defeated in 2009 in its effort to violently seize control of the northern and eastern coasts of the island from the Sinhalese ethnic majority to create an independent Tamil state. The Marxist-Leninist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) also held uprisings in 1971 and 1987–89.
How many people were charged with supplying paraphernalia?
Charges. Nine individuals charged with supplying paraphernalia used in connection with an act of terrorism appeared in Colombo Magistrates Court on 6 May 2019. On 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo, were targeted in a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide ...
What were the targets of the Easter bombings?
Three of the major targets. Clockwise from upper left: The Kingsbury; Shangri-La Hotel; St. Anthony's Shrine. On 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo, were targeted in a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide bombings.
How many people were killed in the Sri Lanka bombing?from en.wikipedia.org
Three suicide bombers blew themselves up, killing nine of their family members, including three women and six children, while three other terrorists were shot dead by the soldiers. One civilian was caught in the crossfire and died, according to police, while a wounded woman and child were taken to hospital.
How many people died in the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka?from bbc.com
Sri Lanka attacks: What we know about the Easter bombings. On Easter Sunday, suicide bombers killed at least 253 people and injured some 500 at churches and top-end hotels across Sri Lanka. Most victims were Sri Lankans, but at least 38 foreigners are among the dead, including British, Indian and US citizens. ...
Who were the attackers?from bbc.com
On Monday Sri Lankan authorities said they believed a little-known local militant Islamist group known as National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) was to blame.
What hotels were destroyed in the Colombo bombing?from cnn.com
More blasts ripped through three luxury hotels in the capital city of Colombo: the Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury.
How many police officers were killed in the bombing of Mahawila Gardens?from cnn.com
The final blast struck a private house in Mahawila Gardens, in Dematagoda, during a raid in connection with the attacks, officials said. Three police officers were killed.
What social media sites did the Sri Lankan government block?from cnn.com
The Sri Lankan government blocked social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram while the investigation got under way.
How many people were killed in Colombo?from cnn.com
At least 20 foreigners were among those killed in the capital city of Colombo, hospital director general Anil Jasinghe said. The foreigners killed include at least three Indians, two Turkish nationals and two Chinese citizens, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Bomb blast in Sri Lanka: 3 Dutch victims amongst the 310 killed
A series of eight devastating bomb blasts happened at various hotels and 3 churches in Sri Lanka on Sunday. Currently, we know that nearly 310 people were killed, and almost 500 others were injured, reports Al Jazeera.
Bomb blasts in Sri Lanka: Who were the victims?
The blasts happened at churches when people had gathered for Easter services. We know that nearly all the victims were Sri Lankans, with dozens of foreigners as well. Amongst them were the three Dutch victims.
Bomb blasts in Sri Lanka: Who did it?
There are different speculations coming up about who should be held responsible for the attacks in Sri Lanka. No one has claimed responsibility for the bomb blasts as of yet, but Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene described it as a “terrorist attack” by religious groups.
Sri Lanka's former president Sirisena named suspect in 2019 Easter bombings
On April 21, 2019, nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS carried out a series of blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, killing 270 people.
Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as Sri Lankan president
Wickremesinghe won 134 votes in the 225 member parliament in a vote count on Wednesday, after his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country and resigned from his post last week.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa: A 'war hero' detested by his admirers over Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis
The economic crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.
Three frontrunners in race to become Sri Lanka's next president
Sri Lanka's parliamentary speaker will convene the legislative body after receiving Rajapaksa's official resignation and its 225 members will vote to elect a new president, likely next week.
Protesters raid Sri Lanka PM's office after president flees abroad
In a televised statement Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he had instructed the military and police to do "what is necessary to restore order".
A brief history of the rise and fall of Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Gotabaya Rajapaksa's departure comes four days after massive crowds broke into his official residence and occupied his seaside office, and he pledged to leave the country. Protesters also stormed the residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has said he will leave once a new government is in place.
EXPLAINER: Why Sri Lanka's economy collapsed and what's next
Sri Lankans are skipping meals as they endure shortages and lining up for hours to try to buy scarce fuel. It's a harsh reality for a country whose economy had been growing quickly, with a growing and comfortable middle class, until the latest crisis deepened.
POLICE KILLED
On Sunday afternoon, three police officers were killed during a security forces raid on a house in the Sri Lankan capital several hours after the attacks, many of which officials said were suicide bomb explosions. Police reported an explosion at the house.
PRIOR INFORMATION
There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attacks in a country which was at war for decades with Tamil separatists until 2009, a time when bomb blasts in the capital were common.
BLOOD ON CHURCH PEWS
Dozens were killed in one of the blasts at St. Sebastian’s Gothic-style Catholic church in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo. Gunasekera said the police suspected a suicide attack there. Pictures from the site showed bodies on the ground, blood on the church pews and a destroyed roof.
ATTACKS ON CHRISTIANS
The Christian community had already felt under pressure in Sri Lanka in recent years.
Overview
Aftermath
The government closed facilities for security; the Defence Ministry issued a police curfew starting at 18:00 local time on the day of the attacks, and imposed a temporary social media ban, whilst the Minister of Education, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, had all schools closed for the following two days. The Colombo Stock Exchange announced that its operations will be temporarily suspended following the terror attacks, not opening as planned on 22 April 2019.
Background
Historically, terrorism in Sri Lanka mostly involved coordinated attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) against the government and army during the Sri Lankan Civil War, which began in 1983. The LTTE was defeated in 2009 in its effort to violently seize control of the northern and eastern coasts of the island from the Sinhalese ethnic majority to create an independent Tamil state. The Marxist-Leninist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) also held uprisings in 1971 an…
Attacks
Christians were attending Easter Sunday services when the bombings took place, targeting churches and hotels around Sri Lanka. The sequence and coordination of the bombings were planned to cause maximum destruction, targeting Christians during worship services across the island nation, and targeting guests during breakfast in beachfront hotels in the capital. All six of t…
Government response
Following President Sirisena's return to the island from Singapore on 22 April 2019, where he was on a personal visit, the Sri Lankan government declared a state of emergency from midnight of 22 April by an extraordinary gazette notification issued by the President under the Public Security Ordinance. This would give the government, police and the armed forces sweeping powers to …
Perpetrators
Police arrested eight people living in the Colombo suburb of Dematagoda on the day of the attacks. Five more suspected attackers and accomplices were arrested at a house during the night. Police confirmed on the day after the bombings that 24 people were arrested. By 23 April, the number of people arrested was 40. Three police officers and two civilians were killed by bombs that exploded during the capturing. By 24 April 60 people had been arrested with possible links to the attacks, …
Impact
The Inspector General of Police, Pujith Jayasundara, came under heavy criticism following the bombings, with the United People's Freedom Alliance urging that he resign for failing to prevent the bombings. Later, former presidential candidate Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka claimed it was unfair to blame the IGP and that it was a conflict between the functioning of military intelligence and criminal investigators, and called for better intelligence mechanisms and security clearances to b…
Reactions
Leaders of the country condemned the attacks: President Maithripala Sirisena said "I have given instructions to take very stern action against the persons who are responsible for this conspiracy"; the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said "I strongly condemn the cowardly attacks on our people today"; Opposition Leader and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa called the attacks "absolutely …