Thu, 28 Mar 2024 Today's Paper

ISIS fanatics celebrate SL attacks

22 April 2019 03:42 pm - 13     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Islamic State supporters are celebrating the Sri Lanka suicide bombings which killed 290 people on Easter Sunday and left around another 500 injured, Daily Mail Online reported.

The SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks extremist activity online, said ISIS fanatics were praising the terror attacks as revenge for the Christchurch mosques shooting.

No group has officially claimed responsibility for the blasts at five-star hotels and churches but Sri Lankan police say a previously unknown Muslim extremist group were the subject of an intelligence warning ten days before.

Early evidence points towards Islamist group National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ), according to intelligence chiefs, who warn that more attacks are expected.

Rita Katz, director of respected terror monitoring SITE Intelligence Group, said IS supporters have applauded the attacks on social media, 'celebrating casualties'.

Ms Katz said IS media channels were ‘posting rampantly’ about the blasts and praying ‘may Allah accept’ the suicide bombers.

She claimed that the online praise indicated the group may be preparing to take responsibility for the attacks.

‘While such a claim may frame the op as revenge for New Zealand, this was likely planned long before,’ she said.

Australian born Brenton Tarrant is facing 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder after opening fire on two mosques in Christchurch on March 15.

Fighters from Sri Lanka have been mentioned in ISIS ranks and the country would be ‘easily accessible’ for fanatics, Ms Katz said.

Several Sri Lankan Muslims from ‘well-educated and elite’ families were known to have joined the terror group in Syria, according to Reuters.

The attacks follow just weeks after ISIS launched a global military initiative branded the ‘Revenge Invasion’ as payback for the loss of their territory in Syria. 

Police have so far arrested 13 people over the Sri Lanka attacks, describing those in custody only as ‘religious extremists’.

Ten days ago, according to documents seen by the AFP new agency, Sri Lanka's police chief Pujuth Jayasundara issued an intelligence alert to top officers warning Islamist suicide bombers planned to hit 'prominent churches'.

'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,' the alert said.

The NTJ is a small radical Muslim group in Sri Lanka which has no history of mass fatal attacks, but came to prominence last year linked to the vandalism and desecration of Buddhist statues.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe admitted that information about the attacks had been received in advance but denied having direct knowledge himself.

'We must look into why adequate precautions were not taken. Neither I nor the ministers were kept informed,' he said following intense anger in the community.

Manisha Gunasekera, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK, has said eight British nationals were killed in the attacks.

Three of the near-simultaneous blasts targeted worshippers attending Easter services on the holiest day in the Christian calendar.

Families on holiday were massacred by three further explosions at luxury hotels in Colombo as they sat down to enjoy breakfast at around 8.30am.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said the bodies of at least 27 foreigners were recovered. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt condemned the the 'horrifying attacks' which he said had killed 'several British nationals'.

Further fatalities are said to include three Indians, two Turks, one Portuguese citizen and an unknown number of Dutch and Chinese nationals.

Sri Lanka's defence ministry has now ordered curfew with immediate effect 'until further notice' while access to social media messaging services has been shut down.

In Colombo, St Anthony's Shrine, a Roman Catholic church, the Cinnamon Grand; Shangri-La; and Kingsbury hotels were targeted in the first wave of explosions.

At the Shangri-La, security camera footage showed two men detonating devices in the Table One restaurant and a hotel corridor.

Other blasts hit St Sebastian's Church in Negombo, a majority Catholic town north of Colombo, and at Zion Church in the eastern town of Batticaloa.

Later in the afternoon, two died in a strike at a hotel near a zoo in the south of Colombo, before a suspected suicide bomber killed police officers in the suburb of Orugodawatta in the north of the capital, as police moved in on the suspected terrorist safe house. In all 13 suspects were arrested.

Sri Lanka defence secretary Harsha de Silva said: 'Horrible scenes, I saw many body parts strewn all over.'

The terror attack was Sri Lanka's deadliest violence since a devastating civil war in the South Asian island nation ended a decade ago.

Prime Minister Theresa May joined leaders across the world in condemning the atrocities while President Donald Trump vowed to 'stand ready to help'.

Millions of tourists visit Sri Lanka every year but political crisis and religious tension have placed the industry under threat in recent months.


Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

  Comments - 13

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka
  • Niranjan Monday, 22 April 2019 04:09 PM

    Check out all boarding houses in kelaniya. Money play big role. Some guys without job. But having vehicle. Post it to defence.

    Warren Raed Monday, 22 April 2019 04:24 PM

    Vert sad to note how cruel we humans are. This news is devastating. How can someone celebrate the death of another? Have we humans degraded to this extent?

    Lord Wolfstein Monday, 22 April 2019 04:49 PM

    If a completely outdated religion, which has never renewed and adapted to the present time, has been wrong interpreted by fanatics, it comes to such excesses.

    Riyaz Siddique Monday, 22 April 2019 07:34 PM

    Fully Agree!

    MODA BURUWA Monday, 22 April 2019 07:29 PM

    BAN the full face covering dress NOW . This is the main cause . ACT now .

    manoj Monday, 22 April 2019 08:15 PM

    please check all funding to mosque

    Faqi Hussain Monday, 22 April 2019 08:30 PM

    No surprises here, if a religion teaches that they could go to paradise if they kill non-believers, there are enough idiots who would believe this nonsense.

    Adrian Monday, 22 April 2019 08:43 PM

    Not all muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are muslims.

    Faqi Hussain Monday, 22 April 2019 11:52 PM

    The strangest and most untrue thing that can be said about Islam is that it is a religion of peace. If every standard by which the West is judged and condemned (slavery, imperialism, intolerance, misogyny, sexual repression, warfare...) were applied equally to Islam, the verdict would be devastating. Islam never gives up what it conquers, be it religion, culture, language or life. Neither does it make apologies or any real effort at moral progress. It is the least open to dialogue and the most self-absorbed. It is convinced of its own perfection, yet brutally shuns self-examination and represses criticism.

    Faqi Hussain Monday, 22 April 2019 11:56 PM

    Most of the world thinks that some hysterical Muslims have somehow got diverted into insanity! Do any of these strange humans understand how wonderful it is to live in peace

    Sajjadh Ahmed Tuesday, 23 April 2019 12:03 AM

    These Muslims think they ere doing the right thing but other good Muslims are also disturbed and am actually feeling upset for those Muslim and I ask Allah in my dua to take the killed innocent lives to him.

    sumaiyashafeek Tuesday, 23 April 2019 04:14 PM

    These killings were committed by some Muslim fanatics, we,the majority innocent Muslims disown and detest them just like the rest. They have totally misinterpreted the religion of Islam and seem to have formed a religion of their own. We would encourage any stern action against them, and provide support in tracking down all of them. By God we,the rest of Muslims are deeply saddened and disturbed by these merciless killings of the innocent.

    Jabbar Wednesday, 24 April 2019 03:35 PM

    Take revange. Killed every Muslim in Lanka.


Add comment

Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Reply To:

Name - Reply Comment





Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

VAT increase: SOUNDs death knell for publishers, readers

Though the Government imposed VAT (Value Added Tax) on vegetables and other e

How female change-makers are driving Sri Lanka’s energy saving platform

Saving energy has become more of a responsibility than a habit in today’s c

A dull Ramadan awaits Muslims amidst the Soaring Cost of Living

In the coming days, Muslims across the world will welcome the Holy Month of R

New wildlife underpass to curtail HEC

As of February 2024, Sri Lanka lost another 38 elephants as a result of the H