We are living in fucked up world where human life doesn't matter much these days. everyday bad news keeps coming out. Last month shooting in New Zealand mosque before that suicide bomber attack on Indian forces. Recently one of our fellow bitcoiner "Elwar" got in trouble.
And now multiple Bomb blasts in Srilanka. Perpetrators targeted 3 hotels and 3 churches when they were holding Easter services this morning. At least 160 died and more than 500 people Injured in this heinous attack.
As of now no group took responsibility for this attack and according to news Srilanka authorities didn't gave any official statement and details regarding investigation.
https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/world-news/blasts-hit-two-sri-lanka-churches-during-easter-mass-80-injured/articleshow/68973838.cmshttps://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/apr/21/sri-lanka-explosions-dozens-killed-and-hundreds-injured-in-church-and-hotel-blasts
Edit 1Death number keep increasing, as of now 207 people died and number can increase because more than 500 people are injured. news are coming that one more bomb went off recently and it was suicide bomber,
The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka and The All Ceylon Jammiyyathul Ulama, a body of Muslim clerics, condemning these bomb attacks.
@Spendulus Thanks, I will update more details regarding Terrorist group after confirmation from my source. but as of now Srilankan police arrested 13 suspects and found one safe house which was used by suspected terrorists.
@iwantapony thanks, details confirmed and updated.
Edit 2Majority of attacks were carried by Suicide bombers and All suicide bombers are believed to be Sri Lankan nationalsLast night I found out that one of my colleague went missing in the Srilanka, I used to work with him and was not in contact with him for a while. one of my OZ client contacted me and said that he's missing since the bombing and he's not able to contact him. i tried to contact him but no response so far, I can only pray for him that he and his family members are safe.
Source : Live feed Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremsinghe has said his government had some "prior information of the attack", though ministers were not told.
Source : Live feed A local organisation identified as the National Tawheed Jamath has been suspected of plotting Sunday's blasts, says Sri Lankan cabinet minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne while addressing media.
Foreign intelligence agencies warned them about possible attacks but they turned a blind eye and took public safety for granted. still no terror group took responsibility.
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-sent-alert-but-why-sri-lankas-guard-was-down-5687465/https://www.timesofisrael.com/7-suspects-arrested-in-sri-lanka-over-easter-sunday-bombings/Ten days before the attacks, Sri Lanka’s police chief issued a nationwide alert warning top officers 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 senior police officials.
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.
Edit 3Sri Lanka says Easter bombing spree that killed 321 people was 'retaliation' for the mosque shootings in New Zealandhttps://qr.ae/TWp4fV
Edit 4My friend is safe in srilanka.
Dead toll revised by Srilanka and
Health minister said that 253 people died instead of 359 in this terrorist attack.
After identifying the bombers community is shocked that some of them were not poor or uneducated people but millionaires and belongs to good families. This shows how Islamists extremists corrupting the Mind and pushing them to become Suicide bombers. Muslim Community need some serious soul searching here.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/the-wealthy-family-behind-sri-lanka-s-suicide-attacks/story-cbKVXrruyramfzgORMDKUJ.htmlThis madness is not stopping here after these bomb attack, Sadly one of the most persecuted and humble sect of Islam is taking punches after this terrorist attack. "
Ahmadiyya community" and they are the same people who fled from their home country Pakistan to save themselves because " Pakistan don't consider Ahmadiyya as a Muslim"
https://thelogicalindian.com/news/sri-lanka-communal-tensions-rise/
Edit 5Srilanka Banned the 2 Islamist terrorist groups Maithripala Sirisena, the President of Sri Lanka, has placed a ban on 2 terrorist groups that are linked to the Easter Sunday Bomb Blasts under the president’s emergency powers.
NTJ (National Thawheed Jammath) and JMI (Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem) have been banned by the President, this means that the government of Sri Lanka is capable of confiscating any property that belongs to the 2 terrorist groups.
https://allindiaroundup.com/news/sri-lanka-terrorist-attacks-president-sirisena-bans-2-terrorist-groups-linked-to-easter-sunday-bomb-blasts/
Edit 6I don't know how many users are checking small updates but even one of you user checking details or reading OP then thank you because I am keep updating for you guys cheers.
A statement released by President Maithripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka said anything that covers your face or “hinders the identification of individuals in a way that threatens national security” is now banned in the country.
The recent move was done after the Easter Bomb Blasts in Sri Lanka that killed more than 250 people and injured 500.
https://allindiaroundup.com/news/sri-lanka-bans-burqa-niqab-and-all-face-coverings-for-public-protection-after-the-easter-bomb-blasts/
Edit 7Note: I could be wrong here and I am very much willing to rectify my errors so if you found something important then please let me know. thanks
There are some backdoor chatters is going on why Sri Lanka avoided the initial warnings about Terrorist attacks which was given by India and its not looking good. some even saying that India kept warning Sri Lankan authority about the Islamist activities in their country for quite sometime but Sri Lankan official choose to avoid all warning- didn't take seriously because of internal politics in Sri Lanka. No major media picked this story so
no independent source. my source are my Sri Lankan Friends.
Another suspension and resignationPresident Maithripala Sirisena suspends defiant Lankan police chief, names successor
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/sri-lanka-blasts-president-maithripala-sirisena-police-chief-suspended-5701184/
Edit 8One user named @Saint-loup shared this article in another thread so I am sharing his post in my daily updates, I already took his/her permission and he/she was kind enough to give me a thumbs up.
I have tried my best to verify this source but it looks like every media picked up same story from only one source.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-exclusive-isis-funded-sri-lanka-bombings-with-bitcoin-donations-1001284276https://www.ccn.com/isis-bitcoin-fund-sri-lanka-easter-bombings Exclusive: Bitcoin donations to ISIS soared day before Sri Lanka bombingsWhitestream found that on the day before the bombings, there was a sharp rise of hundreds of percent in the bitcoin balance held by CoinPayments, a company through which donations to ISIS are changed into bitcoin from regular currency. On April 20, the day before the Easter attacks, the balance in the main wallet of CoinPayments rose from just $500,000 to $4.5 million.
The following day on which the lethal attacks took place, the wallet's balance dropped back to $500,000, the same as the average daily monthly balance during the previous nine months.
Whitestream said, "CoinPayments admits that there wallet was involved but denies that it is connected to ISIS. It's possible that the company is not aware about the usage of their wallets, erhaps because ISIS uses straw companies in order to transfer the money.
Levy told "Globes" about the process by which Whitestream identifies usage by ISIS of a bitcoin wallet. "Firstly we identified a certain bitcoin address that received several donations at different times, and we succeeded in verifying that two of the donations came from the address that was presented on ISIS's donations website. Even though the amount on this address was only several dollars, through this wallet we were able to identify that ISIS collects the donations via CoinPayments. This address is just a junction, which reveals the link between CoinPayments and ISIS's donations. Our assumption is that the terrorist organization probably possesses many bitcoin addresses through CoinPayments, with every donation sent to a different address. On the day before the Sri Lanka terror attacks we identified two relatively big transactions at this address with bitcoins worth about $9,800."
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-exclusive-isis-funded-sri-lanka-bombings-with-bitcoin-donations-1001284276
Edit 9May 07, 2019https://www.news18.com/news/world/all-suspects-in-sri-lanka-bomb-blasts-arrested-or-dead-says-police-chief-2130811.htmlColombo: Sri Lankan authorities have said that they have dismantled a major part of the network linked to the Easter Sunday bombings, confiscating bomb-making material and freezing assets worth about $40 million linked to the plotters.
In an audio statement issued by the defence ministry on Monday, acting police chief Chandana Wickramaratne said almost all suspects and plotters involved in the April 21 attacks had either been arrested or were dead.
Edit 10May 08, 2019I was supposed to update this news yesterday but failed to do so due to busy schedule, My apologize.
I would be lying if I say that I was surprised with this news because India is also struggling with cross border terrorism (read Pakistan-Kashmir) and in Southern India Islamic extremists keep increasing thanks to Saudi's money and ISIS influence.
Recent comment from Sri Lankan Army Chief:
Army chief claims suicide bombers travelled to Kashmir, Kerala (India)for training
Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayke said, it is being suspected that the attackers travelled to India to establish their links with other terrorist organisations. In an interview to BBC, army commander said, "They had gone to India, travelling to Bangalore, Kashmir and Kerala state, (according to) information available with us.”
It turns out National Investigation Agency , Who keeps a eye on extremists and terror activities in India already made some arrest on 27 April. this was surprising for me because I didn't see any major news outlet airing this news in Northern India. may be some did the couple of minutes segment which I missed completely.
https://www.opindia.com/2019/04/isis-terrorist-kasargod-module-case-arrested-by-nia-admits-to-planning-sri-lanka-style-suicide-blasts-in-kerala/The National Investigation Agency launched a probe against the ISIS module active in Kerala following the Sri Lankan Easter blast. As a part of the probe in connection with the Kasargod IS module case, the NIA arrested a Palakkad native on Monday, who was planning Sri Lanka style suicide attack in Kerala.
Edit 11"Saudi Educated Scholar Arrest"Not very surprising news, it was just matter of time because we all know how Saudi finance the all madrasa around the world.
https://english.newstracklive.com/news/saudi-scholar-arrested-for-links-with-easter-bombings-in-srilanka-sc17-nu-1009811-1.htmlKattankudy: A Saudi-educated scholar is arrested for the links with Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the Easter Sunday bombings.
In a statement, police said, "Information has been revealed that the suspect arrested had a close relationship with ... Zahran and had been operating financial transactions,"
Mohamed Aliyar is the founder of the Centre for Islamic Guidance, which boasts a mosque, a religious school and a library in Zahran's hometown of Kattankudy, a Muslim-dominated city on Sri Lanka's eastern shores.
Sri Lanka imposes nationwide curfew after anti-Muslim riots
KINIYAMA: Sri Lankan police fired tear gas at Mob attacking mosques and shops owned by Muslims on Monday and imposed a nationwide curfew after the worst outbreak of sectarian violence since the Easter bombings by Islamist terrorists.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/69311594.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Stock of Weapons found near Commando training camp
A stock of firearms and ammunition which had been buried in a land close to the road leading to Commando Training Camp at Wellawaya – Uva Kudaoya has been found.
The Army said the search was carried out on a tip-off received by the Police yesterday (12), and 2 repeaters, two shotguns 342 T-56 ammunitions, 593 Shotgun ammunitions and 75 M6 bullets were discovered buried.
Two suspects have been taken into custody as well in connection with the incident.
http://www.hirunews.lk/216287/a-stock-of-weapons-that-was-buried-in-a-land-at-kudaoya-found
Police seek public help to find terror suspectMay 13, Colombo: Sri Lanka Police Headquarters requests the general public to help the Police to trace the whereabouts of a suspect, in connection with the Easter Sunday bomb attacks.
Police say the suspect was an accomplice in the purchase and the modification of the van used by the suicide bomber to arrive at the Kochchikade St. Anthony's Church.
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_19A/May13_1557762303CH.php
Edit 12 :
21 May, 2019"One Month Since The Easter Attacks"http://www.hirunews.lk/216775/one-month-since-the-easter-sunday-attacks-3-arrested-including-siyam-chief-organizer-for-saharanIt is one month today since the April 21st Easter Sunday attacks.
Meanwhile three more suspects and a chief organizer of Zahraan Hasheem considered the leader of the National Thawheed Jamaat organization who died while carrying out a suicide bomb attack on Easter Sunday were arrested in Kalmunai yesterday.
While Zahraan’s chief organiser called Kalmunai Siyaam was arrested first, the other two suspects were arrested according information received from him.
"
Sri Lanka Army assures security, urges parents to send children to schools"
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_19A/May20_1558362750CH.phpSri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake today assured that the security forces on a priority basis have taken all necessary steps ensure security for all schools and urged the parents to send their children to schools.
"I emphasize that since members of the Armed Forces and the Police on priority basis have taken all necessary steps to ensure security arrangements for all schools, parents should now send their children to schools without resorting to irrational fears," the Army Commander said in a special statement.
"
Suicide bomb training camp traced from a coconut estate in Kurunegala"
http://www.hirunews.lk/216755/suicide-bomb-training-camp-traced-from-a-coconut-estate-in-kurunegalaA camp in which the Easter Sunday suicide bombers allegedly received training has been traced from a coconut estate at Alakoladeniya in Kurunegala.
5 suspects have been arrested on a previous occasion in this regard and, the parliament translator was also arrested on the details revealed by the suspects.
Later, the court permitted to detain the suspected translator for 90 days and continue further questioning.
Edit 13 :
25 May 2019Read : "Who Should Be Held Responsible?"Note:
Please read the highlighted part in quote, I mentioned this particular point in
Edit 7, I didn't had any source before but after one month picture is very clear and media outlet picking up this story and discussing openly.
Furthermore, Jonah Blank a principal investigator and senior political scientist for the RAND Corporation said, “In this case, it does appear as if there was a political failure which led to a poor Government response. The warning from an external intelligence agency ( almost certainly India) was reported relayed to the office of President Sirisena. It seems as if these warning were not acted on sufficiently and were not relayed to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. There are two reasons for this! First, the President doesn’t trust the Prime Minister (He tried to have him ousted in October 2018), and there is bad blood between them. Second, the President believes that India favoured the Prime Minister over him, so he may have discounted the intelligence on these grounds.”
"Reflecting on the refugee crisis in Sri Lanka Refugees plead to expedite their cases and resettle them in third countries" Following the Easter Sunday massacre more than 1000 refugees and asylum seekers were evicted from their rented houses in Negombo and they had to seek refuge in two mosques and the police station in Negombo. With barely minimal possessions and minimum facilities, the once persecuted group of people live in much uncertainty and fear. They plead for their cases to be expedited, so they can be resettled in a third country soon, which was their aim in coming to Sri Lanka in the first place.
According to a Human Rights Lawyer who did not want to be named, the asylum seekers and refugees from Pakistan and Afghanistan are fleeing persecution, including systemic violence by extremist groups, due to their identity as Ahmadi, Shia or Christians. They are also fleeing legal persecution under a legal system which targets minorities as apostates or under anti-blasphemy legislation. “They live in fear. They have come here in families because they have faced violent mobs, killings, and any member of the family left behind is likely to be targeted. They have come here out of absolute desperation. They have zero ability to go back,” the HR lawyer said.
Edit 14 : 31 May 2019Small updates: Please check Edit 14
From now on- will update the News once in a Month in case of important update on case.
Thanks
Prez denies knowledge of impending attack on April 21President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said that media reports claiming that he had been informed about the impending Easter Sunday attack were absolutely false, the President’s Media Division said.
It said in a statement that there were media reports of a statement made by the Head of the National Intelligence Service, while giving evidence at the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to look into the April 21 terrorist attacks.
The media reports stated that the National Security Council did not meet after February 2019.
As there were media reports appearing unofficially on the proceedings of the NSC, it was decided to establish an NSC with a new format and this has been in operation for more than one year. The new NSC has been meeting every two weeks and, on some occasions the President has convened the meetings of the NSC every week, it said.
Furthermore, on April 8, 2019, the President has convened the monthly meeting of the Inspector General of Police and senior police officers.
Extremists replacing Sinhala signboards with those in Arabic: PrelateA group of extremists has been active in fixing signboards with Arabic names to Muhudu Maha Vihara Mawatha and other streets in the town, said Ven. Warakapola Indrasiri Nayake Thera, Eastern Province Sangha Nayake and Chief Incumbent of Muhudu Maha Viharaya in Pottuvil.
Playing politics with TerrorismMedia, both mainstream and social, and certain politicians have completely diverted the attention of the country and the authorities from the terrorism that wreaked havoc on Easter Sunday on April 21. The whole country is now chasing a perceived enemy totally forgetting the real enemy.
The real enemy is the remnants, if any, of the members of the National Thawheed Jama’ath (NTJ) with the indoctrination of hate against other religious communities and the other Muslims who are not prepared to toe their line. The real enemy that might be waiting to cause another disaster is the ideology that drove NTJ leader Zahran Hashim and his cohorts to cold-bloodedly kill hundreds of men women and children.
Edit 15: 25 June 2019Sri Lanka Muslim Government Leaders Resign Over AllegationsJUNE 8 : Sri Lankan Muslim politicians holding top government positions have resigned, saying they want to enable the government to investigate allegations against some of them on links to Islamic extremist militants.
Nine Cabinet and junior ministers and two provincial governors resigned Monday, days after a Buddhist monk began a fast demanding the expulsion of three leaders whom he said were linked to a Muslim group responsible for the Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people.
Rauf Hakeem, a lawmaker for Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, says they asked the government to investigate the allegations amid an anti-Muslim hate campaign.
Source 1 : ColomboPage, Sri Lanka Internet Newspaper= Emergency ExtendedJune 22, Colombo: Sri Lanka government has issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification extending the Emergency Regulations for another month, from today, June 22.
The Extraordinary Gazette issued by President's Secretary Udaya R. Seneviratne upon the instructions of President Maithripala Sirisena says the emergency was extended in the best interest of public security.
"I am of the opinion that by the reason of a public emergency in Sri Lanka, it is expedient, so to do, in the interest of public security, the preservation of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the Community," the Extraordinary Gazette says.
The State of Emergency was initially imposed on April 22 following the Easter Sunday suicide attacks on April 21
Source 2 : Sri Lanka extends Emergency for another month
Invisible force is behind Easter attacks, not ISIS - HakeemJune 24, Former Minister Rauff Hakeem says he does not believe the fact that the ISIS is behind the terror attacks on Easter Sunday.Addressing a public meeting held in Thalathuoya area, the minister stressed that an invisible force is behind these attacks.The former minister emphasized that a fair investigation should be conducted into the terror attacks.
Tensions after Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka concern UNHRC Chief June 25, Colombo: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet expressing concern over the religious and ethnic tensions arose in Sri Lanka following the terrorist attacks by Muslim Jihadists on Easter Sunday, said the friction between the government and the President is a human right concern.
Delivering the opening statement at the 41st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva Monday, Bachelet said she is disturbed by the attacks on the Muslims following the Easter Sunday bombings and hate speech by some religious leaders.
"In Sri Lanka, I am concerned that the terrorist attacks two months ago have fuelled increasing tensions," she said adding that she is disturbed by reports of anti-Muslim attacks.
