You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Sri Lanka
BREAKING: 3 churches bombed at Easter services in Sri Lanka UPDATE: 400+ Casualties 262 Dead
2019-04-21
[Twitter]

Update from Dar at 1:35 a.m. ET:
Easter Bombings on Two Churches Kill/Wound 160+

[Reuters] Two Sri Lankan churches and two hotels were hit by explosions on Easter Sunday, wounding several people, police sources said. The hotels and one of the churches are in the nation’s capital Colombo. The other church is in Negombo, north of Colombo.

A source in the police bomb squad said that one of the explosions was at St Anthony’s Church in Kochcikade, Colombo. "Our people are engaged in evacuating the casualties," the source said.

Sources from two leading tourist hotels in Colombo also confirmed the explosions but did not give any details.

Colombo National hospital said several wounded had been brought in for treatment.

St. Sebastian’s church at Katuwapitiya in Negombo posted pictures of destruction inside the church on its Facebook page, showing blood on pews and the floor, and requested help from the public.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility.
Bild reports several dead and at least 160 wounded.
Posted by:3dc

#27  I haven't seen who's been arrested yet. IIRC the Tamil Tigers pioneered the modern suicide bomber, though their pupils took to the notion with glee and the hope of 72 virgins.
Posted by: james   2019-04-21 23:13  

#26  Multiculturalism.
Posted by: Ebbavirt Clunk4147   2019-04-21 20:22  

#25  Tomorrow's graphic: pliars and blowtorches, then cordless drills
Posted by: Frank G   2019-04-21 19:12  

#24  Ship all the Muslims to Saudi and Iran.
Posted by: AlanC   2019-04-21 15:00  

#23  The Times of Israel liveblog has this:

1hr ago
Sri Lanka police find safe house used by bombers, seize car

A police spokesman says 13 suspects have been arrested in connection with the attacks in Sri Lanka that killed more than 200 people on Easter Sunday.

In a statement, Ruwan Gunasekara also says police have a vehicle they suspect was used to transport the suspects into Colombo.

Police have also found a safe house used by the attackers.
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-04-21 14:50  

#22  Several of the sources here have official statements that eight have now been arrested. 3dc’s Guardian link also has a link to their liveblog. Two hours ago the liveblog posted a tweet from a BBC reporter saying 13 now arrested... so we’ll see. If the news media are the first draft of history, social media are the fog of war, pre-draft stage. Definitely worth paying attention to, but lots of hay as well as needles. ;-)
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-04-21 14:45  

#21  Lashkar-e-Taiba
Posted by: crazyhorse   2019-04-21 14:22  

#20  #SriLanka Updated list: Info on the 36 Foreign Nationals killed in the #SriLankaAttacks .

COUNTRY-FATALITIES

🇬🇧🇺🇸Dual US/UK- 2
🇺🇸US- 3
🇬🇧UK- 3
🇩🇰Denmark- 3
🇵🇹Portugal- 1
🇨🇳China- 3
🇹🇷Turkey- 2
🇮🇳India- 3
🇧🇪Belgium- 1
🇵🇰Pakistan- ?
15 unidentified
Posted by: 3dc   2019-04-21 14:03  

#19  now: (2 PM EDT) 215 dead and over 600 wounded as per updated reports
Posted by: 3dc   2019-04-21 14:00  

#18  The Guardian has a well done story:
LINK
Posted by: 3dc   2019-04-21 13:56  

#17  7 arrested in Sri Lanka Easter bombings as death toll rises
Posted by: Frank G   2019-04-21 11:17  

#16  Americans, British and Dutch citizens were among dozens of foreigners killed.
Posted by: Neville Dark Lord of the Wee Folk7365   2019-04-21 10:00  

#15  I expect Sri Lanka will kick out or suppress the Muslims. ... Watch HRW (Human Rights Watch) melt down and go nuts.

Rather like what we just saw in Myanmar with their Muslims, eh? One could be forgiven for thinking that Islam doesn't mesh well with a pluralistic society.
Posted by: SteveS   2019-04-21 09:35  

#14  Any comment from Ilhan Omar, AOC, or Rancida T-labia condemning Islamists? I thought not
Posted by: Frank G   2019-04-21 09:35  

#13  I expect Sri Lanka will kick out or suppress the Muslims. They are one of the toughest nasty governments on the planet. Watch HRW (Human Rights Watch) melt down and go nuts.

Persecuted Sri Lankan mooslim refugees, the next migration. Our US 'Sanctuary Cities' must begin preparations immediately.
Posted by: Besoeker   2019-04-21 09:28  

#12  Thanks TW.

Watching Faux News this AM and they are still stuck on stupid (Mueller report trash). Very little about reality. Just as well lump these deadbeats in with CNN and MSNBC...
Posted by: Neville Dark Lord of the Wee Folk7365   2019-04-21 09:24  

#11  Seven arrested with the hunt continuing. Three police killed while on a house raid. The latest casualty toll per police: 207 killed, more than 450 injured. 27 foreigners confirmed dead

The Telegraph is liveblogging here.
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-04-21 09:14  

#10  - 207 dead.
- 500+ injured.
- 35 foreigners reportedly among the dead.
Posted by: 3dc   2019-04-21 09:09  

#9  I expect Sri Lanka will kick out or suppress the Muslims. They are one of the toughest nasty governments on the planet. Watch HRW (Human Rights Watch) melt down and go nuts.
Posted by: 3dc   2019-04-21 09:05  

#8  Of course on Easter. It's a muzzie horde thing.
Posted by: Woodrow   2019-04-21 09:00  

#7   9 explosions at various locations in Sri Lanka.

- 190 dead as per latest reports with over 450 injured.

- Emergency and curfew imposed.

- As per local reports, at least two explosions were caused by suicide bombers.
Posted by: 3dc   2019-04-21 08:25  

#6  Muzzizm = indiscrinate murder. Entire dem prexidential field unavailable for comment. Not that the LIE media is asking...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2019-04-21 07:20  

#5  No wonder TPTB removed the much sounder previous pope.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2019-04-21 07:19  

#4  Their Pope (Francis) is a useless imbecile of a little man... He needs to be removed yesterday if possible.

I do not believe it is right to identify Islam with violence. This is not right or true.
Pope Francis
Posted by: Neville Dark Lord of the Wee Folk7365   2019-04-21 05:48  

#3  Analysis from the Jerusalem Post:

Christians make up only around eight percent of the country and Muslims an additional 12 percent. In 2016 Sri Lanka revealed that thirty-two Sri Lankans had joined ISIS and left the country. Many were said to be from educated families, something that surprised authorities. The local Muslim community condemned the government’s statements as “tarnishing the image” of Sri Lankan Muslims. An Australian member of ISIS was similarly shown to have a respected uncle back home in Sri Lanka. Other reports indicated ISIS members in India had connections to Sri Lanka and there were concerns after the defeat of ISIS about ISIS returnees. This appears similar to the process of extremism in Bangladesh before the 2016 Dhaka attack which was carried out by educated ISIS perpetrators and targeted foreigners in a café.
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-04-21 04:38  

#2  During Easter Mass, according to The Times of Israel, which adds:

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the apparent coordinated attack.

Sri Lanka’s police chief made a nationwide alert 10 days before Sunday’s bomb attacks in the country that suicide bombers planned to target “prominent churches,” according to the warning seen by AFP.

“A foreign intelligence agency has reported that the NTJ (National Thowheeth Jama’ath) is planning to carry out suicide attacks targeting prominent churches as well as the Indian high commission in Colombo,” said the alert, which was sent by police chief Pujuth Jayasundara to top officers.

The NTJ is a radical Muslim group in Sri Lanka that came to notice last year when it was linked to the vandalization of Buddhist statues.

According to hospital officials, at least 40 people were killed in the Colombo attacks; at least 62 were killed in Negombo, north of the capital; and at least 27 were killed in Batticalao, on the country’s eastern coast.

Based on the warning I am moving this to Page 1: War on Terror. Thank you, Dar, for bringing us the first update — you’ll note I stacked it with 3dc’s first post, to corral discussion in one thread.

May God damn the perpetrators and all their supporters to the depths of Hell, and may those that lived be speedily caught.
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-04-21 03:59  

#1  Now 6 explosions. 3 Churches , 3 Hotels
Fox News Link
Posted by: 3dc   2019-04-21 02:09  

00:00