Sri Lanka blames radical Islamic group for Easter terror attacks
23 April, 2019
The Sri Lankan government has blamed a homegrown Islamist group for the terrorist attacks that killed at least 290 people in churches and hotels on Easter Sunday.
Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne and other senior officials confirmed Monday (local time) that National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ), a little-known extremist Islamist group, carried out the bombings with help from international militants.
"We do not believe these attacks were carried out by a group of people who were confined to this country," Senaratne said during a press briefing in the capital city of Colombo. "There was an international network without which these attacks could not have succeeded."
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the government is asking other countries for help in uncovering international links behind the attacks ? the deadliest violence in the South Asian island country since the end of the civil war in 2009.
The NTJ has reportedly been involved in attacks against Buddhist statues. At least one suicide bomber involved in the church attacks had been arrested for defacing statues
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which apparently targeted those attending Easter services at three Christian churches and foreigners at four luxury hotels. Officials said the death was at least 290, with 500 wounded.
Victims of the attacks
Most victims were Sri Lankans, but the government said at least 39 were foreigners.
U.S.: The State Department says at least four Americans were killed and several injured. It has not released details.
China: Chinese state media say two Chinese died in the blasts.
India: Indian officials say eight Indians died in the attacks.
U.K.: Sri Lanka's top diplomat in Britain says authorities know of eight British nationals killed in the bombings.
Denmark: Danish media say that three of the four children of Danish business tycoon Anders Holch Povlsen were killed.
Spain: Spain's foreign ministry says a Spanish man and woman were killed.
Australia: Australia's prime minister says two Australian citizens ? a mother and a daughter ? were killed.
Others: Japan, Portugal and the Netherlands have also confirmed that their nationals were among the dead.
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