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‘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

&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpcnt">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpa">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<span class&equals;"wpa-about">Advertisements<&sol;span>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"u top&lowbar;amp">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<amp-ad width&equals;"300" height&equals;"265"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; type&equals;"pubmine"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-siteid&equals;"109460728"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-section&equals;"1">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;amp-ad>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div><div id&equals;"floatingMenu" class&equals;"floating-menu">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"shareArticles floatingShareArticles">&NewLine;<div id&equals;"floatingShare">&NewLine;<h6>ISIS&&num;8217&semi;s news agency Amaq posted photo on Twitter purporting to identify the seven Easter Day attackers as Abu Ubayda&comma; Abu al-Mukhtar&comma; Abu Khalil&comma; Abu Hamza&comma; Abu al-Bara&&num;8217&semi;a&comma; Abu Muhammad&comma; and Abu Abdullah<&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6>Investigators believe the ISIS inspired attack in Sri Lanka attack was &&num;8216&semi;to avenge Christchurch &lbrack;New Zealand mosque&rsqb;&comma; massacre&&num;8217&semi;<&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>At least 321 people were killed eight separate bombings on Easter Sunday&comma; 45 of them children&comma; while more than 500 were injured <&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>Chilling clip shows backpack strapping <&sol;strong>suicide bomber patting a child<strong>&comma; who is believed on the head<&sol;strong>&&num;8230&semi; then blowing himself up in a church<&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>Authorities have 40 people in custody over attacks three luxury hotels popular with tourists and three churches<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>ISIS yet to show evidence to back their claim and Sri Lanka govt has blamed attack on National Thowheed Jamaath &lbrack;NTJ&rsqb; and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India &lbrack;JMI&rsqb; <&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>NTJ were subject of intelligence warning&comma; which suggested the Jihadists were planning to launch attacks on churches&comma; 10 days prior<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>One suicide bomber checked into unnamed fourth hotel but did not detonate his device for unknown reasons&comma; on the run after <&sol;strong><strong>suspicious workers reported him&comma; but blew himself up as security agents closed in<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>Among the bombers were two sons of a wealthy spice trader&comma; part of an alleged <&sol;strong><strong>&&num;8216&semi;family cell&&num;8217&semi; &&num;8211&semi; t<&sol;strong><strong>he brothers <&sol;strong><strong>allegedly blew themselves up using &&num;8216&semi;crude devices&&num;8217&semi; at two hotels in the nation&&num;8217&semi;s capital&comma; killing tourists<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>During a <&sol;strong><strong>police raid on the &&num;8216&semi;family&&num;8217&semi;s home&comma; one brother&&num;8217&semi;s wife also blew up herself and her two children <&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>In the latest development&comma; police in Colombo are on high alert searching for a lorry and a van suspected to be carrying explosives that have entered Colombo<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><strong>Police stations around the country to look out for the lorry&comma;  three motorbikes&comma; a taxi and a van&comma; and the registration tags of the said vehicles have also been provided to law enforcement<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div id&equals;"ext-gen74">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316610" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Suicide-bomber-pats-child-on-the-head-moments-before-blowing-himself-up-1-300x193&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"672" height&equals;"432" &sol;><strong style&equals;"font-size&colon; 1em&semi;">Chilling CCTV footage captured one of the bombers patted a little girl on the head moments before walking into St Sebastian&&num;8217&semi;s Church in Negombo&comma; Sri Lanka&comma; before detonating a device<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div>Chilling footage captured one of the Sri Lankan Easter Sunday suicide bombing that claimed over 300 lives and maimed hundreds more&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;CCTV shows on of the bombers entering a church in Katuwapitiya&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<div>The bomber is seen patting a little girl on the head moments before launching an attack&period; ISIS have claimed responsibility for the devastating attack on the holiest day on the Christian calendar&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<iframe src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;youtube&period;com&sol;embed&sol;bHff9mylUkQ" width&equals;"560" height&equals;"315" frameborder&equals;"0" allowfullscreen&equals;"allowfullscreen"><&sol;iframe><br &sol;>&NewLine;In the footage&comma; the terrorist can be seen sauntering towards St Sebastian&&num;8217&semi;s Church in Negombo while wearing a large backpack containing a &&num;8216&semi;crude device made locally&&num;8217&semi; that was used to massacre Christian worshippers&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The Archbishop of Colombo&comma; Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith&comma; said at least 110 people died in the St Sebastian&&num;8217&semi;s blast&comma; the deadliest in a series of attacks against churches and luxury hotels that killed 321 people and left more than 500 injured&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316611" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Suicide-bomber-wearing-a-large-backpack-as-reaches-out-to-touch-the-little-girl-2-300x210&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"566" height&equals;"396" &sol;><strong>The attacker can be seen wearing a large backpack as he reaches out to touch the little girl&period; She is reportedly the granddaughter of survivor Dilip Fernando who said yesterday&colon; &&num;8216&semi;At the end of the mass &lbrack;my family&rsqb; saw one young man go into the church in with a heavy bag&period; He touched my granddaughter&&num;8217&semi;s head on the way past&period; It was the bomber&&num;8217&semi;<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div>It comes as all seven of the suicide bombers who carried out the devastating Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bombings were pictured together in an image released by ISIS&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;ISIS&&num;8217&semi;s news agency Amaq posted a picture on Twitter claiming to identify the seven attackers as Abu Ubayda&comma; Abu al-Mukhtar&comma; Abu Khalil&comma; Abu Hamza&comma; Abu al-Bara&&num;8217&semi;a&comma; Abu Muhammad&comma; and Abu Abdullah&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;It shows them standing in front of an ISIS flag wearing black robes and masks over their faces while carrying knives&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;A total of eight people can be seen in the photograph released by Amaq&comma; despite the Amaq statement mentioning seven bombers&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316607" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;ISIS-released-an-image-on-Tuesday-showing-the-jihadis-who-carried-out-the-devastating-bomb-attacks-lin-Sri-Lanka-on-Easter-Sunday-2019-300x166&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"580" height&equals;"321" &sol;>T<strong>he ISIS media outlet  Amaq news agency released an image on Tuesday showing the Jihadis who carried out the devastating bomb attacks on Easter sunday&colon; Centre is alleged National Thowfeek Jamaath leader Moulvi Zahran Hashim<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon">Earlier Tuesday&comma; state minister of defence Ruwan Wijewardene told parliament that preliminary investigations suggested the coordinated blasts were &&num;8216&semi;in retaliation for the attack against Muslims in Christchurch&&num;8217&semi;&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;White supremacist Brenton Tarrant allegedly slaughtered 50 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on March 15 while live-streaming the shooting on Facebook&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;It is believed the clip shows the attacker patting a little girl on the head&period; The child&&num;8217&semi;s grandfather&comma; Dilip Fernando said yon Monday&colon; &&num;8216&semi;At the end of the mass &lbrack;my family&rsqb; saw one young man go into the church in with a heavy bag&period; He touched my granddaughter&&num;8217&semi;s head on the way past&period; It was the bomber&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;ISIS&&num;8217&semi;s AMAQ propaganda agency on Tuesday announced that it was responsible for the blasts&period; The group&comma; who have previously made a series of unsupported claims&comma; did not provide any evidence&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Defense minister Wijewardene blamed two different local Islamist groups for the coordinated suicide bombings which killed at least 321 people&comma; including 45 children on Sunday&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;However&comma; Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe admitted Tuesday that the terrorists may have &&num;8216&semi;some links&&num;8217&semi; with ISIS&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The National Thowheed Jamaath &lbrack;NTJ&rsqb;&comma; who were the subject of an intelligence warning ten days before the devastating blasts&comma; have been named as responsible&comma; raising questions about why more precautions were not taken&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font"><strong>Related Article&colon;<&sol;strong><br &sol;>&NewLine;<a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;15&sol;49-killed-48-injured-in-multiple-christchurch-new-zealand-mosque-massacres-australian-terrorist-brenton-tarrant-28-charged-with-murder-after-live-streaming-himself-opening-fire-on-worshippers&sol;"><img class&equals;"attachment-loop wp-post-image jetpack-lazy-image jetpack-lazy-image--handled alignleft" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Brenton-Tarrant-1&period;jpg&quest;resize&equals;174&percnt;2C131&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1" sizes&equals;"&lpar;max-width&colon; 174px&rpar; 100vw&comma; 174px" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Brenton-Tarrant-1&period;jpg&quest;resize&equals;174&percnt;2C131&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1 174w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Brenton-Tarrant-1&period;jpg&quest;resize&equals;300&percnt;2C225&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1 300w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Brenton-Tarrant-1&period;jpg&quest;resize&equals;70&percnt;2C53&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1 70w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Brenton-Tarrant-1&period;jpg&quest;zoom&equals;3&amp&semi;resize&equals;174&percnt;2C131&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1 522w" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"139" height&equals;"105" data-attachment-id&equals;"310801" data-permalink&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;15&sol;49-killed-48-injured-in-multiple-christchurch-new-zealand-mosque-massacres-australian-terrorist-brenton-tarrant-28-charged-with-murder-after-live-streaming-himself-opening-fire-on-worshippers&sol;brenton-tarrant-1&sol;" data-orig-file&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Brenton-Tarrant-1&period;jpg&quest;fit&equals;962&percnt;2C518&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1" data-orig-size&equals;"962&comma;518" data-comments-opened&equals;"1" data-image-meta&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;aperture&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;0&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;credit&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;camera&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;caption&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;created&lowbar;timestamp&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;0&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;copyright&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;focal&lowbar;length&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;0&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;iso&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;0&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;shutter&lowbar;speed&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;0&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;title&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;orientation&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;0&quot&semi;&rcub;" data-image-title&equals;"Brenton Tarrant 1" data-image-description&equals;"" data-medium-file&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Brenton-Tarrant-1&period;jpg&quest;fit&equals;300&percnt;2C162&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1" data-large-file&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Brenton-Tarrant-1&period;jpg&quest;fit&equals;620&percnt;2C334&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1" data-lazy-loaded&equals;"1" &sol;><&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mh-excerpt"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;15&sol;49-killed-48-injured-in-multiple-christchurch-new-zealand-mosque-massacres-australian-terrorist-brenton-tarrant-28-charged-with-murder-after-live-streaming-himself-opening-fire-on-worshippers&sol;">At least 49 people are killed and 48 injured in mass shootings during Juma prayers at two mosques in Christchurch New Zealand on Friday The mosque massacres involved an<&sol;a> <a title&equals;"49 killed&comma; 48 injured in multiple Christchurch&comma; New Zealand mosque massacres – Australian terrorist&comma; Brenton Tarrant&comma; 28&comma; charged with murder after live-streaming himself opening fire on worshippers" href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;15&sol;49-killed-48-injured-in-multiple-christchurch-new-zealand-mosque-massacres-australian-terrorist-brenton-tarrant-28-charged-with-murder-after-live-streaming-himself-opening-fire-on-worshippers&sol;">&lbrack;&&num;8230&semi;&rsqb;<&sol;a><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">Images being circulated by ISIS fanatics reportedly show the suspected leader of the National Thowheed Jamaath&comma; Moulvi Zahran Hashim&comma; pledging allegiance to the so-called Islamic State&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The source of the pictures is unclear and they were not released through official ISIS channels&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Wijewardene also named another local group&comma; Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India &lbrack;JMI&rsqb;&period; Little is known about JMI&comma; other than reports it was established last year and is affiliated to a similarly named group in Bangladesh&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The local media report that two sons of a wealthy Sri Lankan spice trader played a key role in the Easter Sunday bomb attacks&comma; blowing themselves up as guests queued for breakfast at the Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the capital&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316608" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Suicide-bomber-enters-St-Sebastians-church-in-Colombo-Sri-Lanka-on-Easter-Sunday-1-300x164&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"580" height&equals;"317" &sol;><strong>Clip taken from inside St Sebastian&&num;8217&semi;s Church in Negombo&comma; shows the suspected suicide bombing walking inside&comma; moments before he detonated a device killing over 100 Easter service attendees <&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316421" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;St&period;-Sebastians-Church-in-Negombo-Sri-Lanka-after-it-was-bombed-on-April-21-2019-4-300x195&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"714" height&equals;"464" &sol;><strong style&equals;"font-size&colon; 1em&semi;">Investigators sift through the ruins of St Sebastian&&num;8217&semi;s Church in Colombo &lbrack;photo&rsqb;&colon; ISIS have now claimed responsibility for the Sri Lankan terror attack&comma; but Sri Lankan officials have blamed two local Islamist groups<&sol;strong><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316609" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Suicide-bomber-enters-St-Sebastians-church-in-Colombo-Sri-Lanka-on-Easter-Sunday-2-300x169&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"572" height&equals;"322" &sol;><strong>At St&period; Sabastian Church he suicide bomber as he enters the church&period; The coordinated attacks killed 321 people&comma; including 45 children<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316606" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Moulvi-Zahran-Hashim-1-300x161&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"576" height&equals;"309" &sol;><strong>National Thowfeek Jamaath leader Moulvi Zahran Hashim is seen here pledging allegiance to ISIS in photo being circulated by ISIS fanatics<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Rescue-help-the-injured-after-the-Christ-Church-New-Zealand-shooting-on-Feb-15-2&period;png&quest;resize&equals;620&percnt;2C385&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;i0&period;wp&period;com&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;03&sol;Rescue-help-the-injured-after-the-Christ-Church-New-Zealand-shooting-on-Feb-15-2&period;png&quest;zoom&equals;1&period;100000023841858&amp&semi;resize&equals;580&percnt;2C360&amp&semi;ssl&equals;1" width&equals;"580" height&equals;"360" &sol;><strong style&equals;"font-size&colon; 1em&semi;">One of the people injured in the New Zealand attacks as they are taken to hospital<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<div><&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon">Investigators believe the Sri Lankan attack was &&num;8216&semi;retaliation&&num;8217&semi; for the mass shooting of muslim worshipers in Christ Church&comma; New Zealand by White supremacist Brenton Tarrant who slaughtered 50 people at the Al-Noor Mosque and the Linwood Mosque while live-streaming the attack on Facebook&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 1em&semi; font-weight&colon; 600&semi;">  <&sol;span><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316649" style&equals;"font-size&colon; 1em&semi; font-weight&colon; 600&semi;" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Shangri-la-Hotel-Sri-Lanka-2-300x168&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"621" height&equals;"348" &sol;><strong style&equals;"font-size&colon; 1em&semi;">Two sons of a wealthy spice trader reportedly blew themselves up as guests queued for breakfast at the Shangri-La&comma; &lbrack;photo&rsqb;&comma; and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the capital<&sol;strong><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<div><&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon">After the bombings&comma; tourists are scrambling to flee Sri Lanka and cancelling holidays after a string of deadly suicide blasts that have sparked concerns the lucrative tourism industry could be sent into a tailspin&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The attacks on hotels and churches came as Sri Lanka was emerging as a leading tourist hot-spot&comma; named the world&&num;8217&semi;s top destination for 2019 by a major guide book&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The Easter Sunday massacre killed 321 people&comma; including 38 foreigners&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;At Colombo&&num;8217&semi;s international airport&comma; nervous and exhausted travellers lined up to leave the country as heavily armed soldiers manned the entry and exit points&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Two sons of a wealthy spice trader played a key role in the Easter Sunday bomb attacks&comma; blowing themselves up as guests queued for breakfast at the Shangri-La Hotel and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the nation&&num;8217&semi;s capital&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The brothers&comma; whose names have not been revealed&comma; were in their late twenties and operated their own &&num;8216&semi;family cell&&num;8217&semi;&comma; an investigation officer said&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Their parents have not been named&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316624" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Relatives-a-victim-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-grieve-1-300x196&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"574" height&equals;"375" &sol;><strong>Relatives mourning beside the coffin of one of the suicide bomb victims at St Sebastian&&num;8217&semi;s Church in Negombo<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div id&equals;"mol-a5160040-65d6-11e9-a35c-9b4a9dd22a3b" class&equals;"art-ins mol-factbox news halfRHS" data-version&equals;"2" data-permabox-url&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;news&sol;article-6950223&sol;ISIS-claim-responsibility-Sri-Lanka-terror-attack-police-say-Christchurch-retaliation&period;html">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"ins cleared mol-factbox-body">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">The sense of anxiety was palpable at hotels lining the capital&&num;8217&semi;s famed beachfront&comma; with five-star properties such as the Taj Samudra Colombo and the Galle Face Hotel putting extra security in place&comma; including armed guards who prevented anyone but guests from entering&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;One brother gave false identity details when he checked into the hotel&comma; but the other gave a real address which led police commandos to their family home in a commercial area of Colombo&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;When the Special Task Force went to the house to investigate&comma; one brother&&num;8217&semi;s wife set off a bomb&comma; killing herself and her two children&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Three police commandos were killed in the blast&comma; and several extended family members are among those in detention&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;It was a single terror cell operated by one family&comma;&&num;8217&semi; the investigator said&period; &&num;8216&semi;They had the cash and the motivation&period; They operated the cell and it is believed they influenced their extended family&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;A source added&colon; &&num;8216&semi;What we have seen from the CCTV footage is that all the suicide bombers were carrying very heavy backpacks&period; These appear to be crude devices made locally&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The pair were both key members in the NTJ&comma; 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&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mol-para-with-font"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316634" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Funeral-procession-for-victiims-of-Sri-Lankan-terror-bombings-on-Tuesday-1-300x194&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"581" height&equals;"376" &sol;><strong>A member of the clergy walks between coffins during a requiem mass at St Sebastian Church for victims of Easter Sunday&&num;8217&semi;s terror bombing<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">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&comma; an official source said&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;What we have gathered so far is that they had indicated to their close family what they were going to do&comma;&&num;8217&semi; another senior police officer said&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;It looks like they were inspired by foreign terrorist groups&comma; but to what extent they had direct links is still unclear&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The group also planned another attack at a fourth hotel&comma; but the suicide bomber either failed to detonate his device or decided against doing so&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;After the Shangri-la blast&comma; staff at the unnamed hotel the would-be attacker checked into became suspicious and reported him to police&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The man was tracked to a lodging near the capital&comma; where he blew himself up when confronted by police&comma; killing two bystanders&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Police are also currently on the hunt for a van and a lorry that are believed to be carrying explosives&comma; reports News 1st&period; They are also on the look out for three motorbikes&comma; a cab and a van&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Forty people are now under arrest over the suicide bomb attacks &&num;8211&semi; the worst atrocity since Sri Lanka&&num;8217&semi;s civil war ended a decade ago&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316638" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Mass-burials-for-victims-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-in-Sri-Lanka-1-300x196&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"580" height&equals;"379" &sol;><strong>Burials for the dead began today in Negombo &lbrack;photo&rsqb;&comma; on Tuesday&period; The attacks have sparked local and international outrage&comma; and have been condemned by Sri Lankan Muslim groups<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316627" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Relatives-weep-for-victim-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-2-300x193&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"565" height&equals;"364" &sol;>Sri Lanka held a three-minute nationwide silence at 8&period;30am this morning &&num;8211&semi; the same time the first of six bombs detonated on Sunday morning killing at least 321 people&comma; including at least 45 children<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316628" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Relatives-weep-for-victim-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-3-300x198&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"575" height&equals;"379" &sol;><strong>A woman is held up after she passed out while praying for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks in Colombo earlier on Tuesday<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316635" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Funeral-service-for-victiims-of-Sri-Lankan-terror-bombings-2-300x184&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"565" height&equals;"347" &sol;><strong>Three minutes of silence held for victims of Easter Sunday bombings<&sol;strong><br &sol;>&NewLine;<strong>Flags were lowered to half mast on government buildings&comma; and people bowed their heads and reflected silently on the violence that has caused international outrage<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"moduleFull mol-video">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"item">&NewLine;<div id&equals;"v-2057745834044604253" class&equals;"vjs-video-container vjs-fixed vjs-span-three-col news">&NewLine;<div id&equals;"vjs&lowbar;video&lowbar;1087" class&equals;"video-js vjs-default-skin vjs-paused vjs-controls-enabled mol-fe-animated-preview mol-empty-playlist vjs-visually-ready vjs-user-inactive" data-opts&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;linkBaseURL&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;news&sol;article-6950223&sol;ISIS-claim-responsibility-Sri-Lanka-terror-attack-police-say-Christchurch-retaliation&period;html&num;v-2057745834044604253&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;isMobile&quot&semi;&colon;false&comma;&quot&semi;duration&quot&semi;&colon;113000&comma;&quot&semi;src&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;videos&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;video&sol;mol&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;23&sol;2057745834044604253&sol;1024x576&lowbar;MP4&lowbar;2057745834044604253&period;mp4&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;source&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;AP&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;playerId&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;default&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;title&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;Three minutes of silence held for victims of Easter Sunday bombings&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;preload&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;none&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;initialVideo&quot&semi;&colon;true&comma;&quot&semi;thumbnail&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;i&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;1s&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;23&sol;08&sol;12602842-0-image-a-11&lowbar;1556004262927&period;jpg&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;poster&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;i&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;1s&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;23&sol;08&sol;12602842-0-image-a-12&lowbar;1556004263922&period;jpg&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;syndicationService&quot&semi;&colon;null&comma;&quot&semi;shortURL&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;mol&period;im&sol;a&sol;6950223&num;v-2057745834044604253&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;plugins&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;social-share&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;embedUrl&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;embed&sol;video&sol;1910624&period;html&quot&semi;&rcub;&comma;&quot&semi;autoplay-next-video&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;videos&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;api&sol;player&sol;1910624&sol;related-videos&period;json&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;countdown&lowbar;time&quot&semi;&colon;10&rcub;&comma;&quot&semi;ads-setup&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;adsEnabled&quot&semi;&colon;false&comma;&quot&semi;screen&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;width&quot&semi;&colon;636&comma;&quot&semi;height&quot&semi;&colon;358&rcub;&rcub;&comma;&quot&semi;sources&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;url&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;api&sol;player&sol;2057745834044604253&sol;video-sources&period;json&quot&semi;&rcub;&comma;&quot&semi;flyout&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;viewportOffset&quot&semi;&colon;0&period;4&comma;&quot&semi;switchBack&quot&semi;&colon;true&comma;&quot&semi;forceFlyout&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;active&quot&semi;&colon;true&comma;&quot&semi;muted&quot&semi;&colon;true&comma;&quot&semi;switchBack&quot&semi;&colon;false&rcub;&rcub;&comma;&quot&semi;tracking&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;channelShortName&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;news&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;sponsored&quot&semi;&colon;null&comma;&quot&semi;referenceId&quot&semi;&colon;1910624&comma;&quot&semi;trackingType&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;embedded&quot&semi;&rcub;&comma;&quot&semi;animated-preview&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;data-hd-fps&quot&semi;&colon;7&comma;&quot&semi;displayName&quot&semi;&colon;null&comma;&quot&semi;data-hd-frame-count&quot&semi;&colon;68&comma;&quot&semi;frames&quot&semi;&colon;145&comma;&quot&semi;width&quot&semi;&colon;636&comma;&quot&semi;src&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;videos&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;preview&sol;mol&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;23&sol;5006290715459237610&sol;636x382&lowbar;JPG-SINGLE&lowbar;5006290715459237610&period;jpg&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;fps&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;data-film&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;videos&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;preview&sol;mol&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;23&sol;5006290715459237610&sol;308x174&lowbar;JPG&lowbar;5006290715459237610&period;jpg&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;data-fps&quot&semi;&colon;7&comma;&quot&semi;data-video&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;videos&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;preview&sol;mol&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;23&sol;5006290715459237610&sol;636x382&lowbar;MP4&lowbar;5006290715459237610&period;mp4&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;data-hd-film&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;videos&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;preview&sol;mol&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;23&sol;5006290715459237610&sol;636x382&lowbar;JPG-HD&lowbar;5006290715459237610&period;jpg&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;data-hd-frame-width&quot&semi;&colon;636&comma;&quot&semi;data-frame-height&quot&semi;&colon;184&comma;&quot&semi;data-frame-width&quot&semi;&colon;308&comma;&quot&semi;data-frame-count&quot&semi;&colon;68&comma;&quot&semi;height&quot&semi;&colon;382&comma;&quot&semi;data-hd-frame-height&quot&semi;&colon;382&rcub;&comma;&quot&semi;related-videos&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;videos&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;api&sol;player&sol;1910624&sol;related-videos&period;json&quot&semi;&rcub;&rcub;&comma;&quot&semi;videoId&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;2057745834044604253&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;descr&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;Colombo residents and visitors observed three minutes of silence to honour the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka&period; President Maithripala Sirisena declared a national day of mourning for the at least 310 victims of the terror attacks&period;&quot&semi;&comma;&quot&semi;referenceId&quot&semi;&colon;1910624&comma;&quot&semi;grapeshot&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;article&quot&semi;&colon;&lbrace;&quot&semi;articleURL&quot&semi;&colon;&quot&semi;https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;news&sol;article-6947101&sol;British-dads-daughter-confirmed-dead-wife-son-searched-morgues-them&period;html&quot&semi;&rcub;&rcub;&rcub;">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"vjs-control-bar">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"vjs-social-controls vjs-control">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"vjs-social-share-control vjs-control vjs-social-share-control-facebook-button" tabindex&equals;"0" role&equals;"button" aria-live&equals;"polite">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"vjs-social-icon vjs-facebook-button-icon "><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316639" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Mass-burials-for-victims-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-in-Sri-Lanka-2-300x192&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"572" height&equals;"366" &sol;><strong>Mass burials take place for victims of Easter Sunday bombings&colon; Police have said that at least 310 people have been killed&comma; with another 500 injured&period; Anthony Jayakody&comma; auxiliary bishop of Colombo said&colon; &&num;8216&semi;There are so many bodies that we can&&num;8217&semi;t accommodate them all at once&&num;8217&semi;<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316625" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Relatives-of-a-victim-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-weep-over-coffin-2-300x201&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"575" height&equals;"385" &sol;>Bereaved families expresss their grief at the funerals for some of th<strong>e victims<img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316626" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Relatives-weep-for-victim-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-1-300x195&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"702" height&equals;"456" &sol;><&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon">The suicide bombers hit three Colombo luxury hotels popular with foreign tourist and three churches&colon; two in the Colombo region and one in the eastern city of Batticaloa&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Wijewardene has blamed &&num;8216&semi;weakness&&num;8217&semi; within Sri Lanka&&num;8217&semi;s security apparatus for failing to prevent the nine bombings&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;By now it has been established that the intelligence units were aware of this attack and a group of responsible people were informed about the impending attack&comma;&&num;8217&semi; he said&period; &&num;8216&semi;However&comma; this information has been circulated among only a few officials&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Wijewardene also said the toll from coordinated bombings at churches&comma; luxury hotels and other sites now stands at 321 people dead and 500 injured&comma; with several people dying of their injuries overnight&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;On Tuesday Sri Lankans across the country took part in a three-minute silence&comma; with people bowing their heads and reflecting silently on the violence as flags were lowered to half mast on government buildings&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The silence began at 8&period;30am&comma; the time that the first of six bombs detonated on Sunday morning&comma; unleashing carnage at high-end hotels and churches packed with Easter worshippers&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The first memorial services for the victims&comma; among them dozens of foreigners&comma; were being held today&comma; hours after the government imposed a state of emergency&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316640" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Mass-burials-for-victims-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-in-Sri-Lanka-3-300x194&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"585" height&equals;"378" &sol;><strong>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<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">At St Sebastian&&num;8217&semi;s Church in Negombo&comma; an elderly man wept uncontrollably by the coffin bearing the body of his wife&period; More than 1&comma;000 mourners gathered at the church where more than 100 parishioners were killed&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith&comma; the archbishop of Sri Lanka who led the service&comma; urged other churches to delay memorials amid fears that more bombers may be at large&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;The security forces have not cleared the situation yet &&num;8230&semi; there could be more attacks on public gatherings&comma;&&num;8217&semi; he told reporters&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;I urge priests to not conduct any services at churches until I notify&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;At St Anthony&&num;8217&semi;s Shrine in Colombo &&num;8211&semi; where scores died as they gathered for Easter Sunday prayers &&num;8211&semi; a few dozen people held candles and prayed silently&comma; palms pressed together&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316636" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Funeral-service-for-victiims-of-Sri-Lankan-terror-bombings-300x189&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"572" height&equals;"360" &sol;><strong>CSri Lankans held a three-minute silence in honor of the on of the victims of the blasts on Easter Sunday<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">The suicide bombers hit three Colombo luxury hotels popular with foreign tourists &&num;8211&semi; the Cinnamon Grand&comma; the Shangri-La and the Kingsbury &&num;8211&semi; and three churches&colon; two in the Colombo region and one in the eastern city of Batticaloa&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Two additional blasts were triggered as security forces carried out raids searching for suspects&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Interpol said it was deploying investigators and specialists to Sri Lanka&comma; and the US State Department warned of possible further attacks in a travel advisory&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The attacks were also the worst ever against the country&&num;8217&semi;s small Christian minority&comma; who make up just seven percent of the 21 million population&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Investigators are now hunting for clues on whether the local Islamist group named as the chief suspect &&num;8211&semi; National Thowheeth Jama&&num;8217&semi;ath &lpar;NTJ&rpar; &&num;8211&semi; received &&num;8216&semi;international support&&num;8217&semi;&comma; said cabinet minister and government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;He said it was not possible for such &&num;8216&semi;a small organisation&&num;8217&semi; to carry out such well co-ordinated suicide strikes&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;President Maithripala Sirisena&&num;8217&semi;s office said there was intelligence that &&num;8216&semi;international terror groups&&num;8217&semi; were behind the local perpetrators and that he would seek foreign help to investigate&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The state of emergency&comma; which gave police and the military special powers to counter militant strikes&comma; came into force at midnight&period; Suspects can be detained without a court order&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;A second straight night-time curfew was also put in place&comma; but lifted before dawn&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<div><&sol;div>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316636" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Funeral-service-for-victiims-of-Sri-Lankan-terror-bombings-300x189&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"572" height&equals;"360" &sol;><strong>Congregation pray at funeral service held for some of the victims of the blasts on Easter Sunday<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><strong><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316652" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Relatives-weep-for-victim-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-5-300x197&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"569" height&equals;"374" &sol;>More than 1&comma;000 mourners gathered at the St&period; Sebastian church in Negombo&comma; where more than 100 parishioners were killed as they worshipped on Sunday morning<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">Officials are investigating why more precautions were not taken after an April 11 warning from Sri Lanka&&num;8217&semi;s police that a &&num;8216&semi;foreign intelligence agency&&num;8217&semi; had reported the NTJ planned suicide attacks on churches&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Spokesman Senaratne said the warning was not passed on to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe or other top ministers&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Tensions remained high and security heavy after a bomb discovered by police on Monday near one of the targeted churches blew up before police could defuse it&period; Although there was a powerful blast&comma; no injuries were reported&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Police also found 87 bomb detonators at a Colombo bus station&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;More details have begun to emerge about some of the foreigners killed in the blasts&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The government has said the National Thowheed Jamaath &lpar;NTJ&rpar;&comma; a little-known Islamist group&comma; was behind the violence&comma; but said they believed the organisation carried out the attacks with the aid of external collaboration&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316651" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Relatives-weep-for-victim-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-4-300x190&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"583" height&equals;"369" &sol;><br &sol;>&NewLine;<strong>Sri Lankans join hands in honoring victims across the country<&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon">Ethnic and religious violence has plagued Sri Lanka for decades&comma; with a 37-year conflict with Tamil rebels followed by an upswing in recent years of clashes between the Buddhist majority and Muslims&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Officials are investigating why more precautions were not taken after an April 11 warning from Sri Lanka&&num;8217&semi;s police that a &&num;8216&semi;foreign intelligence agency&&num;8217&semi; had reported the NTJ planned suicide attacks on churches&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Government officials said evidence from the deadly attacks is pointing to the possibility of a large involvement by women who escaped from the scene wearing burqas&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Several government ministers are in consultation with mosque authorities and President Maithripala Sirisena on the pathway to a possible ban&period;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img-group xwArtSplitter">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-316626" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;04&sol;Relatives-weep-for-victim-of-Easter-Sunday-bombings-1-300x195&period;png" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"702" height&equals;"456" &sol;> As burials began for some of the dead on Tuesday&comma; r<strong>elatives can be weeping during a funeral mass for victims <&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div id&equals;"mol-89791630-65de-11e9-a35c-9b4a9dd22a3b" class&equals;"art-ins mol-factbox news halfRHS" data-version&equals;"2" data-permabox-url&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;dailymail&period;co&period;uk&sol;news&sol;article-6950223&sol;ISIS-claim-responsibility-Sri-Lanka-terror-attack-police-say-Christchurch-retaliation&period;html">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"ins cleared mol-factbox-body">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">&NewLine;The attacks have sparked local and international outrage&comma; and have been condemned by Sri Lankan Muslim groups&comma; with one urging the &&num;8216&semi;maximum punishment for everyone involved in these dastardly acts&&num;8217&semi;&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Lawmakers in Sri Lanka are calling for a nationwide burka ban in an attempt to stop a repeat of last week&&num;8217&semi;s deadly bombings&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;A bill was announced Tuesday on the Facebook page of UNP Parliamentarian Ashu Marasinghe to propose banning the burqa&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The bill&comma; which was posted on the MP&&num;8217&semi;s Facebook page&comma; says that the burqa is not a traditional Muslim garment and claims it has been identified as previously being used by males to engage in terrorist activities by hiding their identities&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Burials were expected to begin for some of the dead on Tuesday&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;At St Sebastian&&num;8217&semi;s&comma; the atmosphere was heavy with grief as coffins were brought in the grounds one at a time for services&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;There are so many bodies that we can&&num;8217&semi;t accommodate them all at once&comma;&&num;8217&semi; Anthony Jayakody&comma; auxiliary bishop of Colombo&comma; told AFP&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The attacks have sparked local and international outrage&comma; and have been condemned by Sri Lankan Muslim groups&comma; with one urging the &&num;8216&semi;maximum punishment for everyone involved in these dastardly acts&&num;8217&semi;&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;In the latest development police in Colombo on high alert searching for a lorry and a van suspected to be carrying explosives that have entered Colombo&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;All Police stations in Colombo have been informed of this after the information was received by police brass in Colombo&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The Police media spokesperson added that all police stations around the country have been informed to look out for a number of specific vehicles that are believed to have been used for illegal activities&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The spokesperson added that issued instructions had been issued to police around the country to look out for  three motorbikes&comma; one taxi cab and a van&period; The vehicle registration tags of the said vehicles have also been provided to the law enforcement&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;

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