#Kochchikade Bomb Blast

[creepingsharia]

Sri Lanka: At least 290 killed, 450 injured as terrorists bomb Catholic churches, luxury hotels on Easter Sunday

Sri Lanka: More than 200 killed, 450 injured as terrorists bomb Catholic churches, luxury hotels on Easter Sunday

Source: Sri Lanka rocked by eight blasts on Easter Sunday, 207 killed | Indiablooms – First Portal on Digital News Management

Colombo, Apr 21 (IBNS): Eight blasts rocked Sri Lanka and left 207 people killed on a day when the Island Nation was celebrating Easter Sunday.

The attacks left over 400 people injured, leaving the world condemning the incident which disrupted peace in the nation that has witnessed civil wars in the past.

The death toll from the blasts has risen to 207, according to a police spokesman, reported CNN.

Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution Harsha de Silva said seven people have been arrested so far in connection with the incidents.

Blasts were reported from three churches and several other hotels in the city.

The churches were identified as St Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, St. Sebastian’s church in the nearby city of Negombo and Zion Church in the eastern city of Batticaloa.

The first blast occurred at 8.45 am in St Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade and the other at St Sebestian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Katana.

Shortly after those blasts were reported, police confirmed three hotels in the capital had also been hit, along with a church in the town of Batticalao, in the east of the country.

The police said explosions also occurred at Shangri-La Hotel and Kingsbury Hotel in the capital.

As per initial reports the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals. The dead included foreigners, a minister said.

Meanwhile, two names of suspected suicide bomber, who might be associated with the blasts, have emerged.

The attack at Shangri La hotel was carried out by suicide bomber Zahran Hashim, while Abu Mohammad has been identified as the attacker at the Batticalao church, reported CNN News 18 website.

Source: Sri Lanka has seen a spike in Jihadi activity since 2017 – Oneindia News

On April 11, the police got an input that terrorists would target 11 Churches in the country. It warned that Catholics would be the target of the attack. Moreover the serial bombings that rocked Colombo bear the signature of the Islamic State. The nation has been under the radar of the Islamic State for nearly three years now.

Reports suggest that the suicide bombers have been identified as Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammad.

An Intelligence Bureau official in India tells OneIndia that the target was clearly the Catholics. The Christians who form 6 per cent of the country’s population were out in large numbers due to Easter. Moreover the attack comes 10 days after a warning was issued about Churches being attacked in the country.

A message received by the police on April 11 stated that 11 Churches would be attacked. It was further warned that all the Catholics should go home and this should be informed to all the families.

With the blasts today, the intelligence in Sri Lanka has warned that there could be more attacks.

via Colombo bombings: ISIS suggests revenge for strikes on Muslims

Three churches – St Anthony’s Church in Colombo, St Sebastian’s Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa – were targeted, police said.

via What is known about the perpetrators?

News agency AFP says it has seen documents that show that Sri Lankan police have been on the alert for several days, fearing that suicide bombers from a local radical Muslim group, the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) were targeting prominent churches.

AFP also reported that Sri Lankan police seized a haul of explosives and detonators in January after arresting four men “from a newly formed radical Muslim group.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rwXTOrnF8I&feature=youtu.be

Social Media Bias is Real. Please Click & Share.

[antilogvacations]

Have lost faith in Humanity | Sri Lanka Terror Attack

This Sunday, on Easter Day bomb blasts at three Sri Lankan churches and three luxury hotels which happened around 8:40(local time), killed more than 180 people and injured more than 500. According to Sri Lanka’s Government, it was the major attack after 10 years. It was the chain boom blasting on the auspicious occasion of Easter day. Pictures of one of the three churches are circulating on local news channels and social media, showing the huge damage to the church. A major part of the church roof was blown in the explosion. It happened when the Sunday prayer is going on, within a few seconds roof tiles and splintered wood spreading all over the floor with blood everywhere and the bodies of worshippers. Hundreds of wounded worshipers and others were admitted to the local hospital.

Here’s the full list of blast sites reported so far:

St Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade

St Sebastian’s Church, Negombo

Zion Church, Batticaloa

Cinnamon Grand, Colombo

Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo

The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo

Near Dehiwala Zoo in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

A house in Mahawila Gardens, Dematagoda

The motive behind these serial bomb blasts is still not clear and there were no claims from any terrorist group. The evangelical church in Batticaloa in Eastern Province witness 20 death and around 50 people were killed in St. Sebastian’s gothic-style Catholic Church in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo.

Sri Lanka Prime Minister condemned the serial blasts attack in a tweet and said “I strongly condemn the cowardly attacks on our people today. I call upon all Sri Lankans during this tragic time to remain united and strong. Please avoid propagating unverified reports and speculation. The government is taking immediate steps to contain this situation”.

The world is witnessing this wave of extremism. This is not just an attack on a church, this is about humanity. It is a great loss hundreds of people lost their loved ones. We pay our homage to those innocent people who gathered to pray for the goodwill.

[pope-francis-quotes]

21st April >> (@VaticanNews By Devin Watkins) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis celebrates Mass on #Easter Sunday, surrounded by beautiful floral compositions prepared by a team of 30 Dutch florists. Pope Francis laments Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka

Pope Francis laments the Easter Sunday attacks on several churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, which killed at least 207 people and wounded more than 450 others.

By Devin Watkins

“I wish to express my heartfelt closeness to the Christian community [of Sri Lanka], wounded as it was gathered in prayer, and to all the victims of such cruel violence.”

Pope Francis spoke those words of solidarity at the conclusion of his Easter Urbi et Orbi address to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square.

The Holy Father said the multiple attacks on churches and hotels around Sri Lanka “have wrought grief and sorrow”.

“I entrust to the Lord all those who have tragically perished,” he said, “and I pray for the injured and all those who suffer as a result of this tragic event.”

Three churches targeted

Unknown attackers set off at least seven explosives on Easter Sunday morning at three churches and four hotels.

Two of the churches targeted were Catholic and one was an evangelical church.

The first blast hit St. Anthony’s Catholic Shrine in Kochchikade, a district north of the capital Colombo, causing heavy casualties.

Dozens of people died at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Negombo, another district north of Colombo.

The targeted evangelical church was in Batticaloa in Eastern Province, where more than two dozen people were killed.

The explosions struck within a short period of time, all targeting the faithful as Easter services were beginning.

Four hotels bombed

At around the same time on Sunday morning, blasts struck four hotels in Colombo, including the Shangri-La Kingsbury, Cinnamon Grand.

At least nine foreigners were killed in Sunday’s attacks.

Archbishop of Colombo

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, said it is “a very, very sad day for all of us.”

“I wish, therefore, to express my deepest sorrow and sympathy to all those innocent families that have lost someone, and also to those who have been injured and rendered destitute,” he continued.

Cardinal Ranjith said, “I condemn – to the utmost of my capacity – this act that has caused so much death and suffering to the people.”

He also called on Sri Lanka’s government to hold “a very impartial, strong inquiry and find out who is responsible behind these acts”.

Topics

POPE FRANCIS

SRI LANKA

ATTACK

CATHOLIC CHURCH

URBI ET ORBI

EASTER

21st April 2019, 12:21

[itsbeating1995]

At Least 138 Dead And More Than 560 Injured In 3 Churches And 2 Hotels Explosions In Sri Lanka!

At least 138 people have been killed and more than 560 injured after a series of coordinated bomb blasts at a number of high-end hotels and churches across Sri Lanka on Sunday morning. The blasts, reported to have occurred at churches in Kochchikade, Negombo and Batticaloa, targeted worshippers as they attended Easter services. Additional blasts…

-- Knowbody lies

[glittergummicandypeach]

Sri Lankan cardinal says religion should not be used as political tool

ROME – Over a year after a series of bombings in Sri Lanka killed more than 300 people, the country’s top Catholic prelate has accused government leaders of failing to identify those behind the grizzly attacks and of using the incident to advance their political agendas.

Speaking during his homily for the National Day of the Sick at Sri Lanka’s basilica of Our Lady of Lanka in Tewatte earlier this week, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said the presidential commission investigating the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings has only identified the public faces of those who failed to prevent the attack, but the “people behind the scenes, who funded these attacks, who planted the bombs, have not been found.”

Referring to Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections held Aug. 5, during which Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa claimed victory after his People’s Party won by a two-thirds majority, Ranjith insisted that, “If any government tries to hide and release the culprits without punishing, I will oppose that government.”

Rajapaksa has appointed his brother, Mahinda, a former president of Sri Lanka considered the real power broker, as Prime Minister.

“The previous government did not investigate the incidents properly,” he said, adding that even though they had received advanced warning about a possible attack, they failed to act.

As a result, “members of the previous government are still trying to safeguard themselves,” Ranjith said, adding, “Everyone washed their hands and went home like Pontius Pilate.”

On April 21, 2019, as Christians throughout Sri Lanka were celebrating Easter Sunday, nine suicide bombers with ties to the National Thowheed Jamath Islamist group attacked three churches and three luxury hotels, killing at least 269 people and injuring 500 others.

After the blasts, news came out that the Sri Lankan government had receive information that a possible attack could take place, and that security officials had not acted on that information, leading both religious leaders and the general public to pin the blame on politicians and other government officials.

Both former defense secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former police chief Pujitha Jayasundara were taken into custody for failing to inform the public about the threat.

Ranjith, who visited the two Catholic churches that were bombed and has stayed in contact with the families of victims, said he knows of a man who lost his wife and three children, and who to this day, sleeps at the cemetery at night.

“This is not a matter of politics, this is a matter of humanity,” he said, adding, “It is wrong to base a political party on religion and language.”

While the Rajapaksa brothers enjoy wide popularity in Sri Lanka due to their handling of the coronavirus and their role in defeating the Tamil Tiger insurgency during Mahinda’s time as president, they have also been accused of having a spotty record on human rights and of discriminating against religious minorities in the Buddhist-majority country. The Tamil minority is predominantly Hindu, while the country also has significant numbers of Muslims and Christians.

A third Rajapaksa brother has also indicated in past comments that the People’s Party seeks to imitate India’s right-wing nationalist BJP party and China’s Communist party.

“I urge the government to ban all parties based on religion and language,” Ranjith said in his homily, noting that around 30 years ago a group of Christians suggested to him that a Christian political party be established in order to secure their rights.

“I told them to please leave because we don’t need Christian political parties,” Ranjith said, adding that he believes Sri Lankan unity has been “shattered” since its independence.

“Today we debate issues such as what is the original language of this country, who are the original people, who owns the country. This partition began in the 1950s when we saw the error in deciding that only one language was the language of this country,” he said, adding, “It is really sad that we are still divided by race, religion and language.”

Returning to last year’s Easter attacks, Ranjith noted that the carnage could have been worse, as a van parked near St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade was rigged with explosives, but never went off.

He added that soon after the Easter bombings, plans for a second large-scale attack had been uncovered, and voiced his hope that “those who secretly conspired to do such things will be punished. Otherwise this incident may happen again.”

Speaking to ucanews.com, Rathnaweera, a human rights activist advocating for victims of the bombings, said government leaders at the time did not fulfill the duties of their office, adding, “political party leaders have exploited the incident to gain votes.”

“Some religious leaders demand justice from these corrupt political leaders and some Buddhist monks fight to go to parliament,” he said, adding, “Unfortunately, religious leaders have forgotten their duties to the people, while politicians misuse religious leaders for their benefit.”

In the meantime, he said, “people still wait for answers to many burning issues in the country.”

Follow Elise Ann Allen on Twitter: @eliseannallen

This content was originally published here.

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/world/what-we-know-so-far/

What we know so far

Image copyright Reuters

On Easter Sunday, Sri Lanka was rocked by a series of bombings that killed more than 300 people at churches and top-end hotels.

It is the deadliest violence in the country since the end of the civil war a decade ago. Most of the victims are believed to be Sri Lankans, but at least 38 foreigners are also among the dead, including British, Indian, and US nationals.

The government says a little-known jihadist group was behind the attacks and police have made a number of arrests. The Islamic State (IS) group has said it was responsible, although it has not provided direct evidence of this.

Here is what we know so far:

How did the attacks unfold?

The first reports were at about 08:45 (03:15 GMT) on Sunday 21 April. Six blasts took place within a short space of time.

Three were at churches – in the Kochchikade district of the capital, Colombo; in Negombo, to the north; and in the eastern city of Batticaloa. The other three blasts rocked the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand hotels in Colombo.

Two further explosions were reported later as police searched for suspects – one in Dehiwala in southern Colombo, and another one near the Colombo district of Dematagoda, during a police raid.

How the Sri Lanka attacks unfolded

Sri Lanka is GMT+5.5

08:45 local time-09:05

Image caption: Blast damage at St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo. Image copyright by Reuters

Three churches in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo’s Kochchikade district are targeted during Easter services and blasts also rock the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the country’s capital.

14:15 local time

Image caption: A member of the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) pictured outside a house during a raid. Image copyright by AFP

About 07:42 local time

Image copyright by AFP

08:30 local time

At least 290 people, including many foreigners, are now confirmed to have died. More than 500 are injured.

About 16:18 local time

Video footage from St Anthony’s Shrine, shared by Guardian journalist Michael Safi, showed people running from the area in panic. According to BBC Sinhala’s Azzam Ameen, the blast happened while “security forces personnel… tried to defuse a newly discovered explosives in a vehicle”.

View on Twitter

Show More

The police have not given details about how many people died at each of the blast sites.

Late on Sunday, an improvised explosive device was found and disposed of close to the country’s main airport, near Colombo.

And on Monday another blast rocked a street near a church in the capital. Police were attempting to defuse explosives in a vehicle used by the attackers when it blew up.

According to police sources, an attack on a fourth hotel failed and helped lead police to the Islamist group now blamed for the assault.

How many people are dead?

On Wednesday, the official death toll given by authorities rose to 359 with more than 500 injured.

Hundreds of Sri Lankan families are in mourning. One of the first victims to be indentified was celebrity chef Shantha Mayadunne. Other Sri Lankans killed included members of church congregations and staff at the hotels targeted.

The confirmed international casualties are from the UK, Denmark, Portugal, India, Turkey, Australia, the Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, Spain, Bangladesh, the US and China.

Among the dead are three children of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen, owner of the Bestseller clothing chain and the largest shareholder in clothing giant Asos.

Who was behind the attacks?

On Monday Sri Lankan authorities said they believed a little-known local militant Islamist group known as National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) was to blame. They said officials were investigating whether it had had “international help”.

On Tuesday, Islamic State said it had carried out the attacks. The group released a photo and video of the men it claims were responsible via its self-styled news outlet Amaq.

In the photo, all but one of the men can be seen with their faces covered. Some are holding knives.

The video showed the eight men pledging allegiance to Islamic State.

Image copyright EPA

Image caption Security remains on high alert at St Anthony’s, and across the country

In a statement, Amaq said “members of the US-led coalition and Christians in Sri Lanka” had been targeted.

BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera says that while IS in the past has claimed attacks it was not involved in, their statement is being taken seriously due to the number of deaths.

The choice of targets is more in line with IS ideology than with traditional types of communal violence seen in Sri Lanka, he adds.

The Sri Lankan government is facing scrutiny after it emerged the authorities were warned about a possible attack.

Security services had been monitoring the NTJ, but the prime minister and the cabinet were not warned, ministers said.

President Sirisena has promised “stern action” over the failure to pass on the warnings and said he would restructure the country’s police and security services.

Police have arrested 60 people and said all the attacks were carried out by suicide bombers. Those arrested have not been publicly identified.

Sri Lanka’s history and religion

Sunday’s attacks were the worst ever against Sri Lanka’s small Christian minority, who make up just 7% of the 21 million population.

Theravada Buddhism is Sri Lanka’s biggest religion, accounting for about 70% of the population. Hindus and Muslims make up around 12% and 10% of the population respectively.

Image copyright Reuters

Image caption Christians are a small minority in Sri Lanka

The attacks are Sri Lanka’s deadliest act of violence since the end of the 26-year civil war in 2009.

The war is thought to have killed between 70,000 and 80,000 people and ended with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, who had fought for independence for the Tamil minority.

[2whatcom-blog]

Sri Lanka assaults Mass funerals held as nation mourns

Sri Lanka has held its first mass funeral because the nation marks a day of mourning for the victims of Sunday's bomb blasts. The loss of life toll from the assaults on church buildings and resorts has risen to 310 with about 500 wounded, police stated. The nation has noticed three minutes of silence and a state of emergency is in impact to forestall additional assaults. Sri Lanka's authorities has blamed the blasts on native Islamist group Nationwide Thowheed Jamath (NTJ). Police have now detained 40 suspects in reference to the assault. A spokesman stated they included a Syrian who was arrested "after the interrogation of local suspects". In the meantime, defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene instructed parliament on Tuesday that "preliminary investigations" indicated the bombings have been in retaliation for lethal assaults on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March. He didn't give any additional particulars. The mass funeral for about 30 victims came about at St Sebastian church in Negombo, north of Colombo, which was one of many locations focused in Sunday's blasts. One other funeral service was scheduled for in a while Tuesday. Earlier, a second of silence was noticed at 08:30, reflecting the time the primary of six bombs detonated. Flags have been lowered to half-mast and folks, a lot of them in tears, bowed their heads in respect. The state of emergency offers police and the army sweeping powers to detain and interrogate suspects with out courtroom orders - powers that have been final used throughout the nation's civil struggle. The federal government restricted entry to Fb, WhatsApp and Instagram after the blasts. NTJ, the group named by the federal government as the principle suspect, has no historical past of large-scale assaults however got here to prominence final yr when it was blamed for damaging Buddhist statues. Nonetheless, neither NTJ nor some other group has admitted finishing up Sunday's bombings.

Had been warnings ignored?

Sunday's assaults have highlighted rifts in Sri Lanka's management, after it emerged that authorities have been warned about an imminent menace. Safety companies had been watching the NTJ jihadist group, experiences stated, and had notified police a couple of doable assault. However Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the cupboard weren't knowledgeable, ministers stated. Cupboard spokesman Rajitha Senaratne stated the knowledge was not handed to Mr Wickremesinghe as a result of a rift between the prime minister and President Maithripala Sirisena. Nonetheless, it was not clear on Monday whether or not Mr Sirisena had been made conscious of the warnings. "Our understanding is that it was correctly circulated among security and police," Shiral Lakthilaka, a senior adviser to Mr Sirisena, instructed the BBC. He stated that the president had appointed a particular committee led by a supreme courtroom choose to analyze what had occurred.

How did the assaults unfold?

The primary experiences of explosions got here at about 08:45 native time on Sunday with six blasts reported inside a small area of time.

How the Sri Lanka assaults unfolded

Sri Lanka is GMT+5.5 21 April 2019 08:45 native time-09:05 Three church buildings in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo's Kochchikade district are focused throughout Easter providers and blasts additionally rock the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand resorts within the nation's capital. 11:40 native time 13:45 native time 14:15 native time 14:30 native time 14:45 native time 22:00 native time 22 April 2019 06:00 native time About 07:42 native time 08:30 native time A minimum of 290 folks, together with many foreigners, are actually confirmed to have died. Greater than 500 are injured. About 12:30 native time About 15:27 native time About 16:18 native time Video footage from St Anthony's Shrine, shared by Guardian journalist Michael Safi, confirmed folks operating from the world in panic. In response to BBC Sinhala's Azzam Ameen, the blast occurred whereas "security forces personnel... tried to defuse a newly discovered explosives in a vehicle". Police haven't but launched a breakdown of how many individuals have been killed and wounded at every location. All of the assaults have been carried out by suicide bombers, officers stated.

Who have been the victims?

Most of those that died have been Sri Lankan nationals, together with scores of Christians attending Easter Sunday church providers. One of many first victims to be publicly recognized was Sri Lankan movie star chef Shantha Mayadunne and her daughter Nisanga Mayadunne, who had posted an image of the household having breakfast within the Shangri-La Resort in Colombo shortly earlier than the lethal blast. Sri Lanka's overseas ministry stated 31 overseas nationals have been among the many lifeless, with one other 14 unaccounted for. The loss of life toll contains at the very least eight British residents and at the very least 10 Indian nationals. Three of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen's youngsters have been killed within the assault, a household spokesman confirmed to the BBC. Mr Povlsen owns the Bestseller clothes chain and holds a majority stake in clothes big Asos. China has issued an advisory to its residents to not journey to Sri Lanka within the close to future and the US State Division has additionally warned of doable additional assaults. Are you in Sri Lanka? Have you ever been affected by the assaults? You may share your expertise by contacting haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Please embody a contact quantity if you're keen to talk to a BBC journalist. You can even contact us within the following methods: Read the full article

[mylucky137276]

Sri Lanka pays homage to over 310 people killed in Easter Sunday bombings

Sri Lanka observed a nationwide three-minute silence Tuesday to pay homage to more than 300 people killed in the gruesome Easter Sunday bombings, the country's worst terror attack blamed on a local previously little-known Islamist outfit.

National flags were lowered and people bowed their heads as the silence began at 8:30 am local time, the time the first of the attacks occurred on Sunday.

"We have declared today a day of national mourning, we urge people to raise a white flag in honour of the victims," said Kamal Padmasiri, Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

He said a 3-minute silence was observed nationwide and the national flag will be flown at half-mast.

ALSO READ: Sri Lanka not alone: Terrorism is gaining ground in entire South Asia

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said the death toll in a series of devastating blasts that tore through churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka had risen to 310.

"The death toll has now gone up to 310", Gunasekera said.

Seven suicide bombers believed to be members of an Islamist extremist group - the National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ) - carried out a series blasts that ripped through three churches and luxury hotels on Sunday, killing over 300 people and wounding more than 500 others, including 8 Indians, in the country's worst terror attack.

A string of eight blasts were reported on Sunday, including at three churches in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo's Kochchikade district during Easter services. The Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand luxury hotels, all in the capital, were also targeted.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but police have arrested 24 people - mostly members of the NIJ - in connection with the blasts. Read Complete Article

[omgstupendousbouquetbasement]

A Look At Sites Hit by Easter Sunday Bombings in Sri Lanka

The Easter Sunday bombings were Sri Lanka's deadliest violence since the country's civil war ended a decade ago. Six near-simultaneous blasts targeted churches and luxury hotels in and near Colombo, the capital. A look at the sites targeted: Churches St. Anthony's Shrine is a Roman Catholic church in the Kochchikade suburb of Colombo and is one of the country's best-known churches. Its roots reach to the 18th century Dutch colonial period, when Catholicism was forbidden and priests held services in secret. Local beliefs say the church's founder, disguised as a merchant, helped a seaside fishing community by praying to stop the sea from eroding their village. The church was later built near the site. St. Sebastian's Church: This Catholic church is in Negombo, a largely Catholic town north of Colombo. Built in the Gothic style, it was patterned on the Reims Cathedral in France and was completed in the 1940s. Zion Church: This church is in the eastern coastal city of Batticaloa. It was founded in the 1970s. Hotels The Shangri-La Hotel: This towering, luxurious hotel is near Colombo's main business district and is just a few steps from the sea. It has 500 guest rooms and suites and 41 serviced apartments. The Kingsbury Colombo Hotel: This luxury hotel is in Colombo's city center, a few minutes' walk from the Shangri-La. It has 229 rooms. The Cinnamon Grand Colombo hotel: This hotel is about a mile (2 kilometers) from the Kingsbury and near the sea in a bustling business district. It has 483 rooms and 18 suites. Others Two blasts occurred hours after the initial attacks. A military spokesman said a blast at a guesthouse outside Colombo killed two people, and another blast occurred at an overpass outside Colombo. Authorities also said three police officers were killed when occupants of a suspected safe house detonated explosives to avoid arrest. from Blogger http://bit.ly/2Iz5ikU via IFTTT

[pope-francis-quotes]

21st April >> (@Zenitenglish By Jim Fair) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis Expresses Sympathy for Sri Lanka Bombing Victims. Hundreds Killed and Injured in Easter Sunday Attacks.

Pope Francis lamented the Easter Sunday attack in Sri Lanka that left an estimated 200 dead and hundreds more injured. His comments came at the conclusion of his “Urbi et Orbi” message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

“I wish to express my heartfelt closeness to the Christian community [of Sri Lanka], wounded as it was gathered in prayer, and to all the victims of such cruel violence.,” the Holy Father said. “I entrust to the Lord all those who have tragically perished and I pray for the injured and all those who suffer as a result of this tragic event.”

Unknown attackers set off at least seven explosives on Easter Sunday morning at three churches and four hotels, according to Vatican News.

Two of the churches targeted were Catholic and one was an evangelical church.

The first blast hit St. Anthony’s Catholic Shrine in Kochchikade, a district north of the capital Colombo, causing heavy casualties.

Dozens of people died at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Negombo, another district north of Colombo.

The targeted evangelical church was in Batticaloa in Eastern Province, where more than two dozen people were killed.

The explosions struck within a short period of time, all targeting the faithful as Easter services were beginning.

At around the same time on Sunday morning, blasts struck four hotels in Colombo, including the Shangri-La Kingsbury, Cinnamon Grand.

At least nine foreigners were killed in Sunday’s attacks.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, said it is “a very, very sad day for all of us. I wish, therefore, to express my deepest sorrow and sympathy to all those innocent families that have lost someone, and also to those who have been injured and rendered destitute. I condemn – to the utmost of my capacity – this act that has caused so much death and suffering to the people.” He called for the government to determine who was responsible.

21st APRIL 2019 14:38CONFLICTS, WAR, TERRORISM

[almohamady-blog]

Sri Lanka imposes curfew after explosions: More than 200 killed as churches and hotels targeted

At least 207 people have been killed and 450 hurt in explosions at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, police say. Eight blasts were reported, including at three churches in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo's Kochchikade district during Easter services. The Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand hotels and one other, all in the capital, were also targeted. A national curfew has been put in place "until further notice" and social media networks have been temporarily blocked. A foreign ministry official said 27 foreign nationals were among the dead. Reports say seven people have been arrested, but it not yet clear who is responsible for the attacks. Sri Lanka's defence minister has said the attacks were probably carried out by one group.

What's the latest from the scene?

The first reports of explosions came at about 08:45 (03:15 GMT) local time - with six blasts reported close together at churches and luxury hotels. St Sebastian's church in Negombo was severely damaged in one explosion, with dozens killed at the site. Images from inside showed blood on the pews and the building's ceiling shattered.

There were also heavy casualties at the site of the first blast in St Anthony's, a hugely popular shrine in Kochchikade, a district of Colombo. Robert Tyler, who has lived in Sri Lanka for six years, told the BBC that at least two of the hotels appeared to have had their restaurants targeted at a busy time for breakfast. The UK's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, James Dauris has said British citizens were caught up in the explosions, but has not confirmed further details. One Dutch national is among the dead, Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in a statement. Two Turkish citizens have also been killed, state news agency Anadolu reports.

Image captionA bomb goes off as Special Task Force personnel raid a home near Dematagoda in Colombo A seventh explosion was later reported at a hotel near the zoo in Dehiwala, southern Colombo, with police sources reporting two deaths. An eighth explosion was reported near the Colombo district of Dematagoda. Media say it was suicide bomber and that three people, believed to be security personnel, were killed during a police raid. Local media report that the military and have been deployed, and security has been stepped up at the country's main Bandaranaike International Airport. Colombo resident Usman Ali told the BBC there were massive queues as he joined people trying to donate blood. He said: "Everyone had just one intention and that was to help the victims of the blast, no matter what religion or race they may be. Each person was helping another out in filling forms." https://twitter.com/usmanali_la/status/1119858620869558272

No-one was expecting this

Rumours have been reported of more attacks and police have told people to stay inside their houses and remain calm. But there is some element of panic. There is a heavy military presence in front of all major state buildings. No-one was expecting this, it was a peaceful Sunday morning - everyone was going to Easter services.

Image captionPriests at St Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade I've spoken to several priests who were in the church and they were really shocked, as were the police officers. It was a well-planned, co-ordinated attack but I spoke to the security chief who was there and officials believe it's too early to say who is behind it. After the Tamil Tigers were defeated in 2009, Sri Lanka hasn't really seen this kind of incident.

What have officials said?

President Maithripala Sirisena has issued a statement calling for people to remain calm and support the authorities in their investigations. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe is chairing an emergency meeting. He said: "I strongly condemn the cowardly attacks on our people today. I call upon all Sri Lankans during this tragic time to remain united and strong." Announcing the curfew, Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardane said: "We will take all necessary action against any extremist group that is operating in our country." He also said that "all the culprits" had been identified and would be "taken into custody as soon as possible".

Image captionBlast damage at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo

Image captionA statue of the Virgin Mary, broken in St Anthony's Shrine Pope Francis, in his traditional Urbi et Orbi speech at the Vatican, condemned the attacks as "such cruel violence" which had targeted Christians celebrating Easter. Cardinal Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Ranjith, told the BBC: "It's a very difficult and a very sad situation for all of us because we never expected such a thing to happen and especially on Easter Sunday."

Media captionArchbishop of Colombo: ''A very, very sad day for all of us" UK PM Theresa May tweeted condolences, saying the "acts of violence against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka are truly appalling". US President Donald Trump tweeted "heartfelt condolences" for the "horrible terrorist attacks".

What's Sri Lanka's recent history?

In the years since the end of Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009, there has been some sporadic violence, with members of the majority Buddhist Sinhala community attacking mosques and Muslim-owned properties. That led to a state of emergency being declared in March 2018. The civil war ended with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, who had fought for 26 years for an independent homeland for the minority ethnic Tamils. The war is thought to have killed between 70,000 and 80,000 people.

Religion in Sri Lanka

Theravada Buddhism is Sri Lanka's biggest religion, making up about 70.2% of the population, according to the most recent census. It is the religion of Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority. It is given primary place in the country's laws and is singled out in the constitution. Hindus and Muslims make up 12.6% and 9.7% of the population respectively. Sri Lanka is also home to about 1.5 million Christians, according to the 2012 census, the vast majority of them Roman Catholic. Read the full article

[janayugaya]

"අපි, ගහනවා දැනන් හිටියා. හැබැයි මෙහෙම ගහයි කියලා හිතුවේ නෑ...."

අද අප්‍රේල් 21 වෙනිදා. පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරයට අවුරුද්දක්. හිතාගන්න බැරි වෙලාවක, ජේසුස් ක්‍රිස්තුස් වහන්සේ මරණයෙන් උත්ඨාන වුණු වෙලාවේ. ඒ වෙනුවෙන් දෙවියන් යදමින් හිටිය, ඒ වෙනුවෙන් සතුට සමරමින් හිටිය අහිංසක මිනිස්සු පිරිසක් අමු අමුවේ බෝම්බ ගහලා මැරුවා.

අපිට සමූල ඝාතන බෝම්බ හුරු කළේ LTTE එක. ඒ නිසා හැමෝම හිතුවේ LTTE එක කියලා. හැබැයි ටික වෙලාවකට පස්සේ තමයි දන්නේ ගැහුවේ මුස්ලිම් අන්තවාදී පිරිසක් කියලා.…

[universaltamilnews]

2019 ஏப்ரல் 21 ம் திகதி நடாத்தப்பட்ட பாரிய தற்கொலை தாக்குதலுக்கு பின்னர் கொச்சிக்கடை தேவாலயத்தின் தற்போதைய நிலை

2019 ஏப்ரல் 21 ம் திகதி நடாத்தப்பட்ட பாரிய தற்கொலை தாக்குதலுக்கு பின்னர் கொச்சிக்கடை தேவாலயத்தின் தற்போதைய நிலை #Kochchikade #bombblast #attack #SriLanka #SriLankaBlasts #SriLankaAttacks #SriLankaTerrorAttack #SriLankaTerrorAttacks #SriLankaBombings #ut #universaltamil #utnews #lka #tamilnews #EasterSundayAttacksLK #PrayForSriLanka #lka #srilanka

After the Massive terrorist attack 21st April 2019

  Website – www.universaltamil.com

Facebook – www.facebook.com/universaltamil

Twitter – www.twitter.com/Universalthamil

Instagram – www.instagram.com/universaltamil

Contact us – info@universaltamil.com

[pope-francis-quotes]

21st April >> (@VaticanNews By Devin Watkins) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis laments the Easter attacks on several churches and hotels in #SriLanka, which killed at least 138 people and wounded more than 400 others.

Pope Francis laments Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka

Pope Francis laments the Easter Sunday attacks on several churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, which killed at least 138 people and wounded more than 400 others.

By Devin Watkins

“I wish to express my heartfelt closeness to the Christian community [of Sri Lanka], wounded as it was gathered in prayer, and to all the victims of such cruel violence.”

Pope Francis spoke those words of solidarity at the conclusion of his Easter Urbi et Orbi address to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square.

The Holy Father said the multiple attacks on churches and hotels around Sri Lanka “have wrought grief and sorrow”.

“I entrust to the Lord all those who have tragically perished,” he said, “and I pray for the injured and all those who suffer as a result of this tragic event.”

Three churches targeted

Unknown attackers set off at least seven explosives on Easter Sunday morning at three churches and four hotels.

Two of the churches targeted were Catholic and one was an evangelical church.

The first blast hit St. Anthony’s Catholic Shrine in Kochchikade, a district north of the capital Colombo, causing heavy casualties.

Dozens of people died at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Negombo, another district north of Colombo.

The targeted evangelical church was in Batticaloa in Eastern Province, where more than two dozen people were killed.

The explosions struck within a short period of time, all targeting the faithful as Easter services were beginning.

Four hotels bombed

At around the same time on Sunday morning, blasts struck four hotels in Colombo, including the Shangri-La Kingsbury, Cinnamon Grand.

At least nine foreigners were killed in Sunday’s attacks.

Archbishop of Colombo

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, said it is “a very, very sad day for all of us.”

“I wish, therefore, to express my deepest sorrow and sympathy to all those innocent families that have lost someone, and also to those who have been injured and rendered destitute,” he continued.

Cardinal Ranjith said, “I condemn – to the utmost of my capacity – this act that has caused so much death and suffering to the people.”

He also called on Sri Lanka’s government to hold “a very impartial, strong inquiry and find out who is responsible behind these acts”.

Topics

POPE FRANCIS

SRI LANKA

ATTACK

CATHOLIC CHURCH

URBI ET ORBI

EASTER

21st April 2019, 12:21