‘It’s payback for Christ Church mosque massacre!’ ISIS claim responsibility, as air chilling video, photo of the jihadists who killed 321 in Sri Lanka attack emerge
ISIS’s news agency Amaq posted photo on Twitter purporting to identify the seven Easter Day attackers as Abu Ubayda, Abu al-Mukhtar, Abu Khalil, Abu Hamza, Abu al-Bara’a, Abu Muhammad, and Abu Abdullah
Investigators believe the ISIS inspired attack in Sri Lanka attack was ‘to avenge Christchurch [New Zealand mosque], massacre’
At least 321 people were killed eight separate bombings on Easter Sunday, 45 of them children, while more than 500 were injured
Chilling clip shows backpack strapping suicide bomber patting a child, who is believed on the head… then blowing himself up in a church
Authorities have 40 people in custody over attacks three luxury hotels popular with tourists and three churches
ISIS yet to show evidence to back their claim and Sri Lanka govt has blamed attack on National Thowheed Jamaath [NTJ] and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India [JMI]
NTJ were subject of intelligence warning, which suggested the Jihadists were planning to launch attacks on churches, 10 days prior
One suicide bomber checked into unnamed fourth hotel but did not detonate his device for unknown reasons, on the run after suspicious workers reported him, but blew himself up as security agents closed in
Among the bombers were two sons of a wealthy spice trader, part of an alleged ‘family cell’ – the brothers allegedly blew themselves up using ‘crude devices’ at two hotels in the nation’s capital, killing tourists
During a police raid on the ‘family’s home, one brother’s wife also blew up herself and her two children
In the latest development, police in Colombo are on high alert searching for a lorry and a van suspected to be carrying explosives that have entered Colombo
Police stations around the country to look out for the lorry, three motorbikes, a taxi and a van, and the registration tags of the said vehicles have also been provided to law enforcement
Chilling CCTV footage captured one of the bombers patted a little girl on the head moments before walking into St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, Sri Lanka, before detonating a device
CCTV shows on of the bombers entering a church in Katuwapitiya.
In the footage, the terrorist can be seen sauntering towards St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo while wearing a large backpack containing a ‘crude device made locally’ that was used to massacre Christian worshippers.
The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, said at least 110 people died in the St Sebastian’s blast, the deadliest in a series of attacks against churches and luxury hotels that killed 321 people and left more than 500 injured.
The attacker can be seen wearing a large backpack as he reaches out to touch the little girl. She is reportedly the granddaughter of survivor Dilip Fernando who said yesterday: ‘At the end of the mass [my family] saw one young man go into the church in with a heavy bag. He touched my granddaughter’s head on the way past. It was the bomber’
ISIS’s news agency Amaq posted a picture on Twitter claiming to identify the seven attackers as Abu Ubayda, Abu al-Mukhtar, Abu Khalil, Abu Hamza, Abu al-Bara’a, Abu Muhammad, and Abu Abdullah.
It shows them standing in front of an ISIS flag wearing black robes and masks over their faces while carrying knives.
A total of eight people can be seen in the photograph released by Amaq, despite the Amaq statement mentioning seven bombers.
The ISIS media outlet Amaq news agency released an image on Tuesday showing the Jihadis who carried out the devastating bomb attacks on Easter sunday: Centre is alleged National Thowfeek Jamaath leader Moulvi Zahran Hashim
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Images being circulated by ISIS fanatics reportedly show the suspected leader of the National Thowheed Jamaath, Moulvi Zahran Hashim, pledging allegiance to the so-called Islamic State.
The source of the pictures is unclear and they were not released through official ISIS channels.
Wijewardene also named another local group, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India [JMI]. Little is known about JMI, other than reports it was established last year and is affiliated to a similarly named group in Bangladesh.
The local media report that two sons of a wealthy Sri Lankan spice trader played a key role in the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, blowing themselves up as guests queued for breakfast at the Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the capital.
Clip taken from inside St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, shows the suspected suicide bombing walking inside, moments before he detonated a device killing over 100 Easter service attendees
Investigators sift through the ruins of St Sebastian’s Church in Colombo [photo]: ISIS have now claimed responsibility for the Sri Lankan terror attack, but Sri Lankan officials have blamed two local Islamist groups
At St. Sabastian Church he suicide bomber as he enters the church. The coordinated attacks killed 321 people, including 45 children
National Thowfeek Jamaath leader Moulvi Zahran Hashim is seen here pledging allegiance to ISIS in photo being circulated by ISIS fanatics
One of the people injured in the New Zealand attacks as they are taken to hospital
Two sons of a wealthy spice trader reportedly blew themselves up as guests queued for breakfast at the Shangri-La, [photo], and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the capital
Relatives mourning beside the coffin of one of the suicide bomb victims at St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo
The sense of anxiety was palpable at hotels lining the capital’s famed beachfront, with five-star properties such as the Taj Samudra Colombo and the Galle Face Hotel putting extra security in place, including armed guards who prevented anyone but guests from entering.
One brother gave false identity details when he checked into the hotel, but the other gave a real address which led police commandos to their family home in a commercial area of Colombo.
When the Special Task Force went to the house to investigate, one brother’s wife set off a bomb, killing herself and her two children.
Three police commandos were killed in the blast, and several extended family members are among those in detention.
‘It was a single terror cell operated by one family,’ the investigator said. ‘They had the cash and the motivation. They operated the cell and it is believed they influenced their extended family.’
A source added: ‘What we have seen from the CCTV footage is that all the suicide bombers were carrying very heavy backpacks. These appear to be crude devices made locally.’
The pair were both key members in the NTJ, but it was not clear what ties they had to the other bombers involved in the devastating attacks against three high-end hotels and three churches.
A member of the clergy walks between coffins during a requiem mass at St Sebastian Church for victims of Easter Sunday’s terror bombing
A focus of the inquiry will be to find out whether there was a foreign influence in their radicalization and how the children of such a wealthy family had become involved, an official source said.
‘What we have gathered so far is that they had indicated to their close family what they were going to do,’ another senior police officer said.
‘It looks like they were inspired by foreign terrorist groups, but to what extent they had direct links is still unclear.’
The group also planned another attack at a fourth hotel, but the suicide bomber either failed to detonate his device or decided against doing so.
After the Shangri-la blast, staff at the unnamed hotel the would-be attacker checked into became suspicious and reported him to police.
The man was tracked to a lodging near the capital, where he blew himself up when confronted by police, killing two bystanders.
Police are also currently on the hunt for a van and a lorry that are believed to be carrying explosives, reports News 1st. They are also on the look out for three motorbikes, a cab and a van.
Forty people are now under arrest over the suicide bomb attacks – the worst atrocity since Sri Lanka’s civil war ended a decade ago.
Burials for the dead began today in Negombo [photo], on Tuesday. The attacks have sparked local and international outrage, and have been condemned by Sri Lankan Muslim groups
Sri Lanka held a three-minute nationwide silence at 8.30am this morning – the same time the first of six bombs detonated on Sunday morning killing at least 321 people, including at least 45 children
A woman is held up after she passed out while praying for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks in Colombo earlier on Tuesday
Three minutes of silence held for victims of Easter Sunday bombings
Flags were lowered to half mast on government buildings, and people bowed their heads and reflected silently on the violence that has caused international outrage
Mass burials take place for victims of Easter Sunday bombings: Police have said that at least 310 people have been killed, with another 500 injured. Anthony Jayakody, auxiliary bishop of Colombo said: ‘There are so many bodies that we can’t accommodate them all at once’
Bereaved families expresss their grief at the funerals for some of the victims
A priest officiates the graveside burial rites for one of the bomb victims who is being laid to rest during a mass burial service in Negombo
At St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, an elderly man wept uncontrollably by the coffin bearing the body of his wife. More than 1,000 mourners gathered at the church where more than 100 parishioners were killed.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Sri Lanka who led the service, urged other churches to delay memorials amid fears that more bombers may be at large.
‘The security forces have not cleared the situation yet … there could be more attacks on public gatherings,’ he told reporters.
‘I urge priests to not conduct any services at churches until I notify.’
At St Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo – where scores died as they gathered for Easter Sunday prayers – a few dozen people held candles and prayed silently, palms pressed together.
CSri Lankans held a three-minute silence in honor of the on of the victims of the blasts on Easter Sunday
The suicide bombers hit three Colombo luxury hotels popular with foreign tourists – the Cinnamon Grand, the Shangri-La and the Kingsbury – and three churches: two in the Colombo region and one in the eastern city of Batticaloa.
Two additional blasts were triggered as security forces carried out raids searching for suspects.
Interpol said it was deploying investigators and specialists to Sri Lanka, and the US State Department warned of possible further attacks in a travel advisory.
The attacks were also the worst ever against the country’s small Christian minority, who make up just seven percent of the 21 million population.
Investigators are now hunting for clues on whether the local Islamist group named as the chief suspect – National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) – received ‘international support’, said cabinet minister and government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne.
He said it was not possible for such ‘a small organisation’ to carry out such well co-ordinated suicide strikes.
President Maithripala Sirisena’s office said there was intelligence that ‘international terror groups’ were behind the local perpetrators and that he would seek foreign help to investigate.
The state of emergency, which gave police and the military special powers to counter militant strikes, came into force at midnight. Suspects can be detained without a court order.
A second straight night-time curfew was also put in place, but lifted before dawn.
Congregation pray at funeral service held for some of the victims of the blasts on Easter Sunday
More than 1,000 mourners gathered at the St. Sebastian church in Negombo, where more than 100 parishioners were killed as they worshipped on Sunday morning
Sri Lankans join hands in honoring victims across the country
As burials began for some of the dead on Tuesday, relatives can be weeping during a funeral mass for victims
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