Apr 25 (AD) Only airline passengers will be allowed to enter the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) terminal building. The decision has been taken due to the prevailing security situation that emerged in the wake of the series of suicide bomb attacks that sent shockwaves through the country on Easter Sunday. 359 persons including 36 foreigners were killed while over 500 sustained injuries in the terrorist carnage. Extensive search operations are currently being carried out in the country. more..

Apr 25 (AD) Hemasiri Fernando has resigned from his post as the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence. President Maithripala Sirisena requested the Defense Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and the IGP to submit their resignations, yesterday. This was following public outrage and backlash against the two officials over the failure to prevent the Easter Day bombing despite receiving prior warnings of a possible attack. more..

Apr 25 (GDI) The entry road to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake has been opened after inspecting a suspicious car at the airport’s outer car park. Navy personnel have been deployed at the access road to prison in Colombo and suburbs ,to ensure safety of the Prisons in Colombo. Navy persons are deployed to the Welikada Prison, the Welikada Prison Hospital, the Magazine Prison and the Colombo-bound prison Following the series of explosions reported recently, more..

Apr 25 (Island) Minister Harin Fernando, yesterday, told Parliament that by exposing the lapses which had led to the Easter Sunday carnage he had become a target of criticism. He said the messenger should not be shot. Participating in the debate on the state of emergency, the Minister thanked the divine forces for saving his life on that fateful day. "I was at the St Mary’s Church in Badulla attending Easter mass while my children were at the Bambalapitiya church. When I visited my father more..

Apr 25 (DM) The entire family, 2 brothers, a sister and the parents of Zahran Hashim the suspected mastermind of the Easter Sunday massacre have been missing since April 18, 2019, his sister Mohomed Hashim Madaniya aged 25 told the Daily Mirror. “I went and gave food to my parents and my sisters family on April 18, and haven’t heard from them since” she told us, at her house in Kattankudy located around the mosque of more..

Apr 25 (Island) Minister of Sports Harin Fernando on Tuesday contacted Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and requested the latter not to publicly criticise him. Fernando told the media, in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks, that his father had warned him of possible attacks targeting churches. The Archbishop of Colombo was critical of Fernando’s statement and expressed that he would have been grateful if he too had been informed of this information. more..

Apr 25 (AD) Actor Ryan Van Rooyen, who was arrested in Dubai and deported to Sri Lanka, has been further remanded, says Ada Derana reporter. Accordingly, he was further remanded until the 02nd of May by the order of Matara Magistrate’s Court. Ryan Van Rooyen (41) and four other suspects, who were arrested with Makandure Madush at a party in Dubai, were deported to Sri Lanka on April 3rd. Upon their arrival, the CID had taken them into custody at the BIA. more..

Apr 25 (EN) U.S. Ambassador Alaina Teplitz called for unity in the wake of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed 359 people, including four Americans, and pledged support, with FBI teams helping with the investigation. “These terrible attacks are the work of a few individuals and not of an entire community,” Ambassador said. “Sri Lankans of all backgrounds and faiths have come together to condemn more..

Apr 25 (Island) The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) issuing a condolence message on the Easter Sunday carnage cast suspicion as to whether it was purely an Islamist extremist act or something far more sinister involving the American CIA. Leader of the LSSP, Tissa Vitharana isuing a press release said that the LSSP condemns the return of terrorism to Sri Lanka-by a local lslamic group of extremists, using suicide bombs, some of whom appear to have been trained abroad. more..

Apr 25 (EN) SL's minister for Muslim religious affairs has asked people not to attend Friday prayers at mosques after a series of bombings by Islamists killed over 350 people including 40 foreigners. Miniser Abdul Haleem Mohammed Hashim asked Muslims to stay at home as a 'sign of solidarity with the Catholic community' and pray for peace and security of the country. "We need to earnestly pray that the Almighty Allah destroys the activities of these inhuman terrorist murderers," he said. more..

Apr 25 (AD) Police today released the names and photographs of several suspects wanted in connection with the Easter Day bombings targeting multiple churches and hotels in the country. They are seeking the assistance of the general public in order to apprehend the suspects in questions. Police have released the images and names of six suspects including three females. The public is requested to provide more..

Apr 25 (EN) Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has banned flying of pilotless aircraft including drones after Easter Sunday’s suicide bombings that killed 359 people in three churches and three luxury hotels. Director General of CAA H.M.C. Nimalsiri said the authority decided to suspend with immediate effect the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles of any description including drones until further notice. The ban took into account of the prevailing security situation in the country. more..

Apr 25 (AJ) Sri Lanka's diverse religious groups try to build bridges even as Muslim community in Negombo suffers reprisals. As Sri Lanka reels from the Easter Sunday bombings its religious heads have organised an interfaith meeting and appealed for calm. But hundreds of Muslims have fled Negombo on the western coast where some isolated revenge attacks have taken place. Al Jazeera's Florence Looi reports from Kelaniya, just outside the capital Colombo. more..

Apr 25 (DM) I would have cancelled all the masses and services during Holy Week if the govt had informed me of an imminent terror attack, Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, said. He said the govt should have told him if they knew something was about to take place. “We don’t want anyone to be hurt by whatever we do,” the Cardinal said. “I have also told my Catholic population not to raise their hand against more..

Apr 25 (AP) U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka warned Thursday that places of worship could be targeted for militant attacks over the coming weekend, as police searched for more suspects in the Islamic State-claimed Easter suicide bombings that killed over 350 people. The stark warning came as PM Ranil Wickremesinghe told The Associated Press that he believed militants, likely with access to explosives, remained on the loose in the island nation off the southern tip of India. more..

Apr 25 (PMD) The All Party Conference was held with the participation of all party leaders, and representatives under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena today (25). Lengthy discussions were held regarding the current situation of the country and the actions to be taken in the future. The importance of joining together despite party or colour differences barriers for the task of protecting the national security was thoroughly emphasized at this meeting. more..

Apr 25 (AP) SL’s PM said Thursday that suspects linked to the coordinated Easter Sunday bomb attacks remain at large and could have access to explosives. Some of the suspects “may go out for a suicide attack,” PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said in an interview with The Associated Press. Wickremesinghe spoke frankly about the greatest challenge the South Asian island nation has faced since its civil war ended a decade ago. more..

Apr 26 (CT) 1. Is and was the endgame of the Easter Sunday attacks the setting up of a US base in Trincomallee on the east coast of Sri Lanka with an oil refinery in Hambantota to choke China in the Indian Ocean, also now that Diego Garcia Military base (the biggest base outside the US mainland), is in question with the ICJ ruling? The U-UK justification for forced displacement of Chagos islanders and occupation/colonization and maintaining the base in the Indian Ocean more..

Apr 26 (DM) Sri Lanka was so accustomed to the peace that dawned after the end of the war on May 19, 2009 that it relaxed security measures. The country, under two successive Govts, dispensed with all wartime restrictions and relaxed security measures during the past ten years. However, the peace it enjoyed was punctured by the serial bombings targeting three high-end hotels and three places of Catholic or Christian worship on Easter Sunday (April 21). more..

Apr 26 (CT) State Minister Ashok Abeysinghe says, a young leader is required to take the UNP forward. Q: You can no longer say, SLFP MPs not voting in favour of the Budget, is not an indication of a National Govt, can you? A: As I see it, what exists even now is a National Govt; as the President is Head of Govt, Head of Cabinet and Leader of the SLFP. Then, as Head of Cabinet he has holds some Ministerial posts, as well. more..

Apr 26 (GV) SL’s president issued a new set of Emergency Regulations on 22 April. This note explains the contents of Emergency Regulation 15, which concerns the control of publications, and certain other regulations relevant to publication. There are four features in Regulation 15 worth discussing. Before explaining these features, we should note that a competent authority is defined in Reg. 2 as any person appointed by name, or by office, by Prez to be a competent authority. more..

Apr 26 (DM) Tension and uncertainty prevailed in Batticaloa yesterday, three days after a deadly suicide blast in the Zion Church on Easter Sunday claimed the lives of 29 persons, including 14 children, prompting clergy and officials to call for peace and calm, as the eastern district experienced another day of mourning and shut-down. Most shops remained closed and residents stayed indoors, with civilian activity remaining at a minimum, as heavily-armed military and police personnel more..

Apr 26 (Island) They had no star athletes in the team. They were competing against star studded teams. Winning a medal was a distant reality against three strong contenders. On that backdrop Sri Lanka women’s 4x400 metres relay team set themselves a realistic target and produced a great combined effort to achieve it as they broke the national relay record held by Damayanthi Dharsha and co on the final day more..

Apr 26 (CT) On 21st of Sunday a few men bearing Muslim names strolled into churches and hotels carrying heavy backpacks. While men, women & children were celebrating the resurrection of the Christ, immersed in prayer and divine contemplation, the suicide bombers shattered their peace and bodies with a savage blast; while unsuspecting guests walked in with their families and friends into the hotel cafeteria for breakfast the suicide bombers served them with a deadly scoop of death. more..

Apr 26 (Island) Ten years ago, we were on top of the world! Having resoundingly defeated the most ruthless terrorist group in the world, we were looking forwards to a bright future. In spite of owing a huge debt of gratitude for achieving the impossible, voters sent Mahinda Rajapaksa packing for his lapses, giving a mandate to a yahapalaya coalition to ensure that bright future. In spite of a faltering economy, due to an internationalist economic agenda, people still lived in hope but more..

Apr 26 (AJ) Sri Lankan authorities have pointed the finger of blame at an obscure group, the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), for carrying out a series of coordinated bombings on Easter Sunday killing more than 350 people. Police have arrested at least 76 people, including alleged NTJ members, in connection with the deadliest attacks in the South Asian island nation since the end of its civil war a decade ago. more..

Apr 26 (Island) The police and the security forces are looking for trucks and vans laden with explosives. They have already carried out several controlled explosions in and around Colombo. While they are in overdrive to prevent any more terror attacks, the focus of the public debate is on the govt’s failure to act on an intelligence warning. It is, no doubt, a serious matter, but the real problem, in our book, is the debilitation and demoralisation of the state intelligence apparatus. more..

Apr 26 (Island) Cassandra is not going to be drawn into discussion of the whys and wherefores; who dun it; who’s to blame and other conjecturing regards the tragedy that befell SL. She leaves it to those who delight in teasing out the convolutions in any situation to come to conclusions. Easter Sunday with its church services and hotel brunches was the worst time to launch an attack on a nation, its people and ultimately its economy with the most impactful places selected to be blown up more..

Apr 26 (Island) Speaking in Parliament on April 24, Minister Mangala Samaraweera called for a Sri Lanka which is free of divisions and discriminatory attitudes. He pointed out to the importance of national unity in the backdrop of the recent terror attacks. Text of the speech: This is a time when our nation which was emerging from conflict and beginning to work together for a brighter and more prosperous more..

Apr 26 (DT) Pakistan Under-19 team’s tour to Sri Lanka is surrounded by uncertainty following a series of attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, that killed around 400 people and injuring many. Rohail Nazir-led squad are originally scheduled to leave for SL on April 30, however it is now unlikely that team will depart according to the original schedule. Sources within the Under-19 team believe that the tour has been tentatively pushed for a week and coaching staff has been told by more..

Apr 26 (Island) With two high intensity training sessions out of Colombo called off ahead of SL’s World Cup campagin, Fielding Coach Steve Rixon is worried about heading into cricket’s showpiece event with little preparation. The national cricket team was supposed to conduct a three day team bonding session at Special Forces Camp at Maduru Oya in Habarana followed by a five day residential training camp in Dambulla. Both training camps were called off due to security reasons more..

Apr 26 (AP) During the civil war that began in 1983, Christianity was divided, with members of the faith fighting for both the largely ethnic Tamil separatists and the mostly Sinhalese Buddhist govt forces, experts say, and some tension still lingers. With the recent attacks against Christians and foreigners, there’s worry that militant anti-Muslim Buddhists might be strengthened. more..

Apr 26 (DN) The shocked, saddened Sri Lankan people are too bewildered and unfocused to take stock of what is in store for the country. The country that heaved a collective sigh of relief 10 years ago when the ruthless terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and scores of his cadres were decimated in May 2009, closing the blood-soaked 30-year chapter of terror attacks of all forms, mainly on innocent civilian targets, today is in shock once again. more..

Apr 26 (DN) SLT Customer Club - Kandy together with the staff of SLT Regional Office, Kandy recently conducted Planting for Water reforestation project, at Knuckles forest area recently. In order to carry out this reforestation project, half an acre of land was allocated in Knuckles high forest, and all the plants were provided by the SLT Customer Club– Kandy free of charge. Lack of suitable drinking water has become a major challenge today. This water shortage has been directly linked to more..

Apr 26 (AP) After fleeing their homes in Pakistan over militant attacks and govt persecution, hundreds of Ahmadi Muslims felt they finally found peace in SL as they sought resettlement across the world. Then came the Easter bombings that killed about 250 people, many Christians praying at church, and suddenly they were targeted again. They say Sri Lankans suspicious of their beards, their little-known more..

Apr 26 (EN) UK has tightened a travel advisory to Sri Lanka saying telling citizens to avoid all but essential travel to Sri Lanka following Islamist bombings on Easter Sunday and suspicious that more members of the group are running loose. "Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in SL," UK's foreign and commonwealth office said. "Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners." Britain is the second largest tourist source market for Sri Lanka more..

Apr 26 (Hindu) Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka that killed over 250 people have raised concerns about the Islamic State’s expansion into the South Asian region. The group, which controlled huge swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, is now practically on the run. The Caliphate that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi established across the Iraq-Syria border has been destroyed. But the Sri Lanka bombings, which happened a month after the U.S. and Kurdish rebels in Syria declared victory over the IS more..

Apr 26 (EN) Sri Lankan firms are rushing to re-subscribe to terrorism insurance covers following the Easter Sunday bombings, a top official said. "From Monday onwards, there have been so many inquiries from firms, so we have given them the terrorism cover," National Insurance Trust Fund Chairman Manjula de Silva said. Even vehicle owners were taking up the terrorism cover, he said. State-owned NITF operates the Strike, Riot, more..

Apr 26 (FT) National Insurance Trust Fund (NITF) said that an Independent Loss Adjuster had been appointed to quantify the total damage of the two major hotels in Colombo that were hit by suicide bombers on Easter Sunday. “We have started the onsite assessments of The Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand hotels yesterday with an appointed Independent Loss Adjuster. We are expecting a full report on the total damage in about a week’s time,” NITF Chairman Manjula de Silva said. more..

Apr 26 (DN) Three Chinese airlines, China Eastern, China Southern and Air China flying to Sri Lanka have curtailed their flights with effect from May. China Eastern Airlines G.S.A Dart Aviation Director Eustace Silva said that they will cancel their Sri Lankan summer schedule from May 1 until further notice. “This means that we will be stopping the four weekly flights operating from Colombo to Shanghai from May 1. However the four weekly Colombo Beijing and Kunming flights would continue more..