This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/world/asia/sri-lanka-bombings-threats.html

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Sri Lanka Is Rattled by New Threats as Officials Argue Over Responsibility Sri Lanka Is Rattled by New Threats as Officials Argue Over Responsibility
(32 minutes later)
Sri Lankan police officials on Thursday warned of possible new attacks after the deadly Easter Sunday suicide bombings, as Muslim leaders urged the cancellation of Friday Prayer and the cardinal of Colombo, the capital, suspended services for Catholic worshipers through the weekend. Police officials in Sri Lanka warned on Thursday of possible new attacks on religious services, as Muslim leaders urged the cancellation of Friday Prayer and the country’s highest Roman Catholic prelate suspended worship services through the weekend.
Officials said privately that the authorities were trying to find at least one person believed to be armed with explosives. Officials said privately that the authorities were trying to find at least one person believed to be armed with explosives. The police said the number of people arrested in the investigation had passed 70.
A letter distributed to security officials said there was “credible information” that the radical Islamist group National Thowheeth Jama’ath, which the authorities say carried out the Sunday bombings, was planning another attack “specifically targeting Sufi shrines.” Several officials confirmed the authenticity of the letter. A letter distributed to security officials said there was “credible information” that National Thowheeth Jama’ath, the radical Islamist group thought to have carried out the bombings on Sunday, was planning another attack “specifically targeting Sufi shrines.”
Sufism is a mystical strain of Islam that sometimes comes under attack from more extremist forms of Islam. Several officials confirmed the authenticity of the letter, and the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, said in more general terms that the security services were hunting for people believed to be planning more terrorist attacks.
The worries about new dangers came as officials debated who was to blame for a series of missed chances to prevent the bombings Sunday at churches and hotels in three Sri Lankan cities, which killed more than 350 people. Sufism is a mystical strain of Islam that sometimes comes under attack from Islamic fundamentalists.
President Maithripala Sirisena, who has tried to deflect criticism that he bears some responsibility for the lack of action on intelligence alerts warning of attacks on churches, had called on Wednesday for two security officials, Pujith Jayasundara, the inspector general of the police, and Hemasiri Fernando, the defense secretary, to resign. The worries about new dangers came as officials debated who was to blame for a series of missed chances to prevent the bombings that killed more than 350 people at churches and hotels in three cities.
A day later, there was no public confirmation they had done so. President Maithripala Sirisena, who has tried to deflect criticism that he bears some responsibility for the lack of action on intelligence warning of attacks on churches, has called for the resignation of two security officials, Pujith Jayasundara, the inspector general of the police, and Hemasiri Fernando, the defense secretary.
Sri Lanka’s government is bitterly divided, which may have contributed to the security failures. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, a rival of the president, complained that he had not been allowed to attend security meetings before the attacks and was unaware of the threats. But there was no public confirmation by Thursday that they had done so.
The fears of fresh attacks swirled after the United States ambassador had warned a day before of possible continuing terrorist plots. Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau on Thursday issued a Level 2 travel advisory, the second highest, warning of a “high concrete threat” in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government is bitterly divided, which may have contributed to the security failures. Mr. Wickremesinghe, the prime minister and a rival of the president, complained that he had not been allowed to attend security meetings before the attacks and was unaware of the threats.
Police roadblocks went up around the country on Thursday, and the Central Bank and office buildings in Colombo were temporarily put on lockdown. The fears of fresh attacks swirled a day after the United States ambassador warned of possible continuing terrorist plots. Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued on Thursday a Level 2 travel advisory, its second-highest advisory, warning of a “high concrete threat” in Sri Lanka.
The police briefly closed the road to the country’s main airport, in Negombo, while they searched a suspicious car. A small blast was reported in a town about 20 miles east of Colombo. No one was injured. Roadblocks went up around the country on Thursday, and the central bank and office buildings in Colombo, the capital, were temporarily put on lockdown. The police also briefly closed the road to the country’s main international airport, outside Negombo, while they searched a suspicious car.
The police in Colombo arrested three people with more than 20 grenade-like explosives and six swords, local news media reported. A small blast was reported in a town about 20 miles east of Colombo, but no one was injured. The police arrested three people with more than 20 grenade-like explosives and six swords, local news outlets reported.
And Sri Lanka’s civil aviation authority said that it was banning the use of drones because of continuing security concerns.And Sri Lanka’s civil aviation authority said that it was banning the use of drones because of continuing security concerns.
With warnings of more attacks circulating through Colombo, many people stayed home. The Liberty Plaza mall, one of the city’s biggest, was deserted. Many shops were closed. The few that were open stood empty.With warnings of more attacks circulating through Colombo, many people stayed home. The Liberty Plaza mall, one of the city’s biggest, was deserted. Many shops were closed. The few that were open stood empty.
Many people said they felt uneasy.Many people said they felt uneasy.
“I don’t know what to eat, I don’t know when to eat, my whole body is trembling,” said Indika Manamperi, the owner of two restaurants in the food court.“I don’t know what to eat, I don’t know when to eat, my whole body is trembling,” said Indika Manamperi, the owner of two restaurants in the food court.
Mr. Manamperi said he used to be a major in the Sri Lankan Army and felt completely demoralized by the terror attacks. Mr. Manamperi said he used to be a major in the Sri Lankan Army and felt completely demoralized by the attacks.
“There was enough of a blood bath for the past 30 years and again our children have to face the same tune?” he said, referring to the country’s long civil war, which ended a decade ago.“There was enough of a blood bath for the past 30 years and again our children have to face the same tune?” he said, referring to the country’s long civil war, which ended a decade ago.
What really distressed him, he said, was Sri Lanka’s political dysfunction during such a painful crisis. What really distressed him, he said, was the political dysfunction.
“I’m stressed because these Sri Lankan politicians don’t want to take responsibility,” he said. “It’s a pathetic state of affairs.”“I’m stressed because these Sri Lankan politicians don’t want to take responsibility,” he said. “It’s a pathetic state of affairs.”
The attacks Sunday came after a series of missteps by the authorities.The attacks Sunday came after a series of missteps by the authorities.
There was the security memo 10 days before the attacks that outlined the threat of suicide bombings at churches, based on Indian intelligence reports, with names, addresses and phone numbers of suspects. But many officials did not see the memo, and Cardinal Ranjith criticized the government for failing to act. Just a few months ago, the authorities arrested and then released one of the suicide bombers. On Thursday, a senior government official told CNN that the person arrested was Ilham Ibrahim, the son of a wealthy spice merchant.
There was the arrest and subsequent release of at least one of the suicide bombers, which has raised further questions about how the authorities missed the bomb plot. Officials say that Mr. Ibrahim’s brother, Inshaf, also blew himself up in the attack, and their father, Mohammad Yusuf Ibrahim, is in custody and is being questioned.
And there were new warnings from Indian intelligence, including one shortly before the killers set off their powerful bombs in packed churches and hotel restaurants. [Read more about the mix of privilege and radicalism within the Ibrahim family.]
Investigators continued to examine what role the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the Easter attacks on Tuesday, actually played in them. Indian intelligence officials began warning their Sri Lankan counterparts of a pending attack at least as early as April 4, officials have said.
The group released a video that showed Mohammed Zaharan, an extremist preacher who was the leader of National Thowheeth Jama’ath, and masked disciples proclaiming their allegiance to the group. Mr. Zaharan is believed to have been one of the suicide bombers. On April 11, a police official sent a memo to Sri Lankan security agencies, based on Indian intelligence reports, outlining in great detail the threat of suicide bombings at churches, with names, addresses and phone numbers of suspects. But many officials did not see the memo.
But National Thowheeth Jama’ath had previously been known for little besides the destruction of the Buddhist statues, raising questions about whether it received foreign assistance and about the extent of ISIS’ involvement. ISIS once held vast territories in Iraq and Syria, and the collapse of its caliphate last month has heightened fears of its fighters spreading violence elsewhere. And just hours before the bombs detonated in packed churches and hotel restaurants, India warned that the attacks were imminent.
The bombers were all Sri Lankan, mostly well educated and from middle-class families, officials said. The eight bombers included two sons of a spice tycoon, Mohammad Yusuf Ibrahim. A woman, described as the likely wife of one of those sons, detonated an explosive that killed herself, her two children and several police officers as the family’s villa was raided Sunday. Government officials, survivors and Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, are among those who have criticized the government for failing to act.
On Thursday, officials said that Mr. Ibrahim had been arrested on charges of aiding his sons in the attacks.
The warning of possible attacks against Sufi mosques could tap into decade-old tensions. Threats to local Sufis in the Kattankudy area on the country’s east coast go back as far as 2006, when local Sufis appealed for help after asserting that an influx of extremist Wahhabi Muslims was making life hard for them.The warning of possible attacks against Sufi mosques could tap into decade-old tensions. Threats to local Sufis in the Kattankudy area on the country’s east coast go back as far as 2006, when local Sufis appealed for help after asserting that an influx of extremist Wahhabi Muslims was making life hard for them.