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| Sri Lanka bombings: Isis claims responsibility for Easter Sunday attacks – live news | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| This from the Guardian’s South Asia correspondent, who is in Negombo, Sri Lanka. | |
| Police in Colombo have issued an alerts warning that a van or lorry carrying explosives may currently be in the city. Security, which was already high, has been stepped up at government buildings and police stations. | |
| At least 45 children were among the more than 320 people killed in the suicide bomb attacks in Sri Lanka, the United Nations said Tuesday. | |
| “The total now is 45 children who died,” UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac told reporters in Geneva, stressing that others “are wounded and are now fighting for their lives,” meaning the toll among minors from the Sunday attacks could rise. | |
| Isis has just claimed Sunday’s suicide attacks in Sri Lanka, claiming they were the work of “fighters of the Islamic State” via their Amaq news agency. The group did not provide any evidence to support the claim. | |
| Isis just officially claimed #SriLankaAttacks via Amaq pic.twitter.com/XLFqNNuFxJ | |
| On Easter Sunday, the day of the suicide bombings, the lights of the Eiffel were dimmed as a mark of respect to victims. | On Easter Sunday, the day of the suicide bombings, the lights of the Eiffel were dimmed as a mark of respect to victims. |
| This from the Guardian’s South Asia correspondent, who is in Negombo, Sri Lanka. | This from the Guardian’s South Asia correspondent, who is in Negombo, Sri Lanka. |
| The Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 320 people in Sri Lanka were a response to the mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch in March, Sri Lanka’s minister of state for defence has told the country’s parliament. | The Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 320 people in Sri Lanka were a response to the mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch in March, Sri Lanka’s minister of state for defence has told the country’s parliament. |
| Ruwan Wijewardene told a special sitting of the national body on Tuesday afternoon that investigations had shown “this attack was carried out in retaliation for the attack against Muslims in Christchurch”, he said. The minister presented no evidence for the claim. | Ruwan Wijewardene told a special sitting of the national body on Tuesday afternoon that investigations had shown “this attack was carried out in retaliation for the attack against Muslims in Christchurch”, he said. The minister presented no evidence for the claim. |
| An intelligence memo circulated to some in government in the weeks before the attack noted that one member of the terrorist group identified as having perpetrated the bombings had started to update his social media accounts “with extremist content” in the aftermath of the shootings by a rightwing-extremist in New Zealand who killed 50 people. | An intelligence memo circulated to some in government in the weeks before the attack noted that one member of the terrorist group identified as having perpetrated the bombings had started to update his social media accounts “with extremist content” in the aftermath of the shootings by a rightwing-extremist in New Zealand who killed 50 people. |
| But terrorism researchers have said the sophisticated nature of the attack and the equipment used would likely have required months of preparation, including conditioning the suicide bombers and testing the explosives. | But terrorism researchers have said the sophisticated nature of the attack and the equipment used would likely have required months of preparation, including conditioning the suicide bombers and testing the explosives. |
| Wijewardene also told parliament that the death toll had climbed to 321 people including 38 foreigners, and reiterated that the prime minister and other key officials were never told about the possibility of an impending attack. | Wijewardene also told parliament that the death toll had climbed to 321 people including 38 foreigners, and reiterated that the prime minister and other key officials were never told about the possibility of an impending attack. |
| Christchurch was mentioned in the confidential briefing note passed around to some in the Sri Lankan government. One suspect had started updating his SM accounts "with extremist content" in aftermath of the shootings https://t.co/7Mi7Nq4uMm | Christchurch was mentioned in the confidential briefing note passed around to some in the Sri Lankan government. One suspect had started updating his SM accounts "with extremist content" in aftermath of the shootings https://t.co/7Mi7Nq4uMm |
| But terrorism researchers have said the sophisticated nature of the attack and the equipment used would likely have required months of preparation, including conditioning the suicide bombers and testing the explosives. Christchurch took place 5 weeks ago... | But terrorism researchers have said the sophisticated nature of the attack and the equipment used would likely have required months of preparation, including conditioning the suicide bombers and testing the explosives. Christchurch took place 5 weeks ago... |
| The death toll from the Easter Sunday attacks has risen to 321, according to Sri Lanka’s defence minister. He also said that the suicide bombings were a response to last month’s terror attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. | The death toll from the Easter Sunday attacks has risen to 321, according to Sri Lanka’s defence minister. He also said that the suicide bombings were a response to last month’s terror attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. |
| Sri Lanka's defence minister of state says Sunday's attacks were response to Christchurch attack @guardian | Sri Lanka's defence minister of state says Sunday's attacks were response to Christchurch attack @guardian |
| We’ll bring you more details when we get them. | We’ll bring you more details when we get them. |
| The eight-year-old grandson of a cousin of the Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina died in one of the hotel blasts, the country’s media has reported. | The eight-year-old grandson of a cousin of the Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina died in one of the hotel blasts, the country’s media has reported. |
| Zayan Chowdhury was having breakfast with his father at a hotel in Colombo when a suicide bomber detonated his device. | Zayan Chowdhury was having breakfast with his father at a hotel in Colombo when a suicide bomber detonated his device. |
| Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, niece of the Bangladeshi prime minister, tweeted that she lost a relative in the attack on Sunday. | Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, niece of the Bangladeshi prime minister, tweeted that she lost a relative in the attack on Sunday. |
| I lost a relative today in the Sri Lanka attacks. It’s all so devastating. Hope everyone is keeping safe. Solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. | I lost a relative today in the Sri Lanka attacks. It’s all so devastating. Hope everyone is keeping safe. Solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. |
| This post has been corrected after we reported that the child was the grandson of the Bangladeshi prime minister. | This post has been corrected after we reported that the child was the grandson of the Bangladeshi prime minister. |
| Our data team have put together a timeline and visual guide to the Easter Sunday bombings in which 310 people died. | Our data team have put together a timeline and visual guide to the Easter Sunday bombings in which 310 people died. |
| Sri Lanka bombings – a timeline and visual guide | Sri Lanka bombings – a timeline and visual guide |
| The first burials from the coordinated suicide attacks have taken place in Sri Lanka on Tuesday. | The first burials from the coordinated suicide attacks have taken place in Sri Lanka on Tuesday. |
| Sri Lankan police are holding a Syrian national in custody for questioning over the Easter Sunday attacks on churches and hotels, three government and military sources told Reuters on Tuesday. | Sri Lankan police are holding a Syrian national in custody for questioning over the Easter Sunday attacks on churches and hotels, three government and military sources told Reuters on Tuesday. |
| “The terrorist investigation division of the police arrested a Syrian national following the attacks for interrogation,” a source said. Two other officials with knowledge of the investigation confirmed the detention. | “The terrorist investigation division of the police arrested a Syrian national following the attacks for interrogation,” a source said. Two other officials with knowledge of the investigation confirmed the detention. |
| “He was arrested after interrogation of local suspects,” a second source said. | “He was arrested after interrogation of local suspects,” a second source said. |
| No group has yet to claim responsibility for Easter Sunday’s suicide bomb attacks on three churches and four luxury hotels that killed 290 people and wounded about 500 people. | No group has yet to claim responsibility for Easter Sunday’s suicide bomb attacks on three churches and four luxury hotels that killed 290 people and wounded about 500 people. |
| Welcome to our continued coverage of the Easter Sunday suicide attacks in Sri Lanka, where a day of mourning is getting under way for the 310 dead. I’ll be keeping you updated on developments from the island. | Welcome to our continued coverage of the Easter Sunday suicide attacks in Sri Lanka, where a day of mourning is getting under way for the 310 dead. I’ll be keeping you updated on developments from the island. |
| Sri Lanka bombings: first burials take place on day of mourning | Sri Lanka bombings: first burials take place on day of mourning |
| Here’s what you need to know on Tuesday morning: | Here’s what you need to know on Tuesday morning: |
| Sri Lankans have been observing a national day of mourning, marked by a three-minute silence at 8.30am local time. | Sri Lankans have been observing a national day of mourning, marked by a three-minute silence at 8.30am local time. |
| The first mass burials from Sunday’s bomb attacks have been taking place in Negombo, where an explosion killed churchgoers at St Sebastian’s. | The first mass burials from Sunday’s bomb attacks have been taking place in Negombo, where an explosion killed churchgoers at St Sebastian’s. |
| The death toll has risen to 310, police confirmed on Tuesday, with hundreds more injured. | The death toll has risen to 310, police confirmed on Tuesday, with hundreds more injured. |
| Forty people have been arrested in connection with the attacks and a state of emergency has been brought in across Sri Lanka. | Forty people have been arrested in connection with the attacks and a state of emergency has been brought in across Sri Lanka. |
| No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings but a local Islamist group National Thowheeth Jama’ath has been named as the chief suspect. | No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings but a local Islamist group National Thowheeth Jama’ath has been named as the chief suspect. |
| At midnight local time a state of emergency came into place, giving police additional powers to stop and search suspect. | At midnight local time a state of emergency came into place, giving police additional powers to stop and search suspect. |
| The prime minster, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is expected to address parliament today when it convenes. | The prime minster, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is expected to address parliament today when it convenes. |