At least 321 people were killed in eight separate attacks on Sunday, including two Australians. 9News
The explosions took place during busy Easter services at Christian churches in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo and in three five-star hotels in the capital.
The Christchurch attack by an Australian white supremacist gunman left 50 Muslim worshippers dead, in what was the New Zealand's worst-ever mass shooting.Much remains unclear about National Thowheed Jamath, the little-known group accused of being behind the blasts. Its leader, alternately known as Mohammed Zahran or Zahran Hashmi, became known to Muslim leaders three years ago for his incendiary speeches online.
"It was basically a hate campaign against all non-Muslims," said Hilmy Ahamed, the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka's vice president.Zahran's name was on one intelligence warning shared among Sri Lankan security forces, who apparently even quietly took their growing concerns to international experts as well.The news comes as authorities in Sri Lanka are further increasing security measures.
Police have issued orders that anyone parking a car on the street and leaving unattended must put a note with their phone number on the windscreen.The country is under a state of emergency and the military is operating under enhanced war-time powers following the attacks, which also wounded hundreds.
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