The Islamic State claimed credit for the Sri Lanka deadly bomb attacks targeting Christians on Easter Sunday.
ISIS made the claim, without providing evidence, through its Amaq News Agency. “Those who carried out the attack that targeted nationals of the Coalition and Christians in Sri Lanka the day before yesterday are Islamic State fighters,” the group said.
This comes as Sri Lanka’s Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardene announced to Sri Lanka’s parliament on Tuesday that “the initial investigation has revealed that this was in retaliation for the New Zealand mosque attack.”
The attack by a white supremacist on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, during Friday prayers in March killed 50 Muslims. Wijewardene said the death toll for the Easter Sunday attacks had been revised upward from 290 to 311. Sri Lanka’s Minisiter of Tourism John Amaratunga said at least 39 foreigners were killed. At least four Americans are among the dead, the State Department has said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo responded to the attacks.
“What was supposed to be a joyful Easter Sunday was marred by a horrific wave of Islamic radical terror bloodshed. It’s heartbreaking that a country which has strived so hard for peace in recent years has been targeted by these terrorists,” Pompeo said. “We mourn the loved ones of the victims, some of whom, we can confirm, were indeed U.S. citizens. This is America’s fight too.”
The attacks, which Sri Lanka says were carried out by at least seven suicide bombers, targeted churches and hotels. Sri Lanka has pointed to local Islamist group National Thowheed Jamaath, which is alleged to have connections to ISIS.
Rajitha Senaratne, Sri Lanka’s minister of health, said “there was an international network without which these attacks could not have succeeded.”
Sri Lanka was also warned at least 10 days in advance about the possible attacks by a foreign intelligence agency, believed to be India. National Thowheed Jamaath and its leader were named in an intelligence alert that had been put together by Sri Lanka’s deputy inspector general of police, Priyalal Dassanayake, earlier in April.
The three-page memo referenced “information of suicide attacks planned by the Leader of the National Thowheed Jamaath, Mohammed Zaharan.” It said that “these attacks could target Catholic Churches and the Indian High Commission in Colombo.”
Senaratne said neither Sri Lanka’s president nor prime minister were told about these intelligence alerts.
The State Department has raised the travel alert in Sri Lanka, warning that “terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Sri Lanka” and that “terrorists may attack with little or no warning.”
Police there say that over 40 suspects have been arrested so far in connection to the attacks.
