Islamic State claims responsibility for Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka: SITE

New Delhi: The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the devastating serial bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday through its Amaq news agency, said an intelligence website, which monitors jihadist activities on Tuesday. As per SITE Intelligence Group, the IS has identified seven suicide bombers who were involved in the attacks. However, the group did not give evidence for its claim, said the Reuters. In a statement issued through its propaganda 'Amaq' news agency, the ISIS said that "the executors of the attack that targeted citizens of coalition states and Christians in Sri Lanka two days ago were with the group," according to SITE. The statement identified the attackers as Abu Ubayda, Abu al-Mukhtar, Abu Khalil, Abu Hamza, Abu al-Bara'a, Abu Muhammad and Abu Abdullah, and  their respective targets. It also claimed that around 1,000 people were killed or wounded in the blasts. "The detail given in #ISIS' communique (attackers' names, where each  of them attacked) shows that the group had a hand in the attack - the degree to which still remains to be seen. The group's delay in claiming is also an unanswered variable," SITE Intelligence Group Director Rita Katz tweeted.

21) The detail given in #ISIS’ communique (attackers’ names, where each  of them attacked) shows that the group had a hand in the attack—the  degree to which still remains to be seen. The group's delay in claiming is also an unanswered variable.  https://t.co/KBa7KfzVx4

— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) April 23, 2019

The Sri Lankan police have arrested 40 suspects, including the driver of a van allegedly used by the suicide bombers in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks which shook Sri Lanka and killed over 300 people, as the government declared a state of emergency, a police official said Tuesday. No group claimed immediate responsibility for the attack in the island nation which killed 321 people. On Monday, the  government blamed a local outfit identified as the National Tawheed Jamath for plotting the deadly Easter blasts which is seen as the worst terror attack in the country's history . Replying to a question by ABP News on the active threat situation in the country after Sunday serial blast, Srilanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe said: "There are still some people on the run with explosives. We have to apprehend them."

Srilanka Prime Minister @RW_UNP to @abpnewstv on the active threat situation in the country after sunday serial blast- "There are still some people on the run with explosives. We have to apprehend them."@abpnewstv@SLinIndia @IndiainSL pic.twitter.com/Z7XvWp0bpn

— Pranay Upadhyaya (@JournoPranay) April 23, 2019

Health Minister and the government spokesman, Rajitha Senaratne, had said on Monday that all suicide bombers involved in the blasts are believed to be Sri Lankan nationals. The suicide bombers were all Sri Lankan citizens but the group is believed to have links with foreign terrorist networks. A string of powerful blasts ripped through three churches and as many luxury hotels frequented by foreigners in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, killing 321 people and injuring more than 500 others, shattering a decade of peace in the country following the end of the brutal civil war with the LTTE. The bombs tore through three five-star hotels in Colombo: the Cinnamon Grand, the Shangri La and the Kingsbury. At least 38 foreigners, including 10 Indian nationals, have died in the attacks. The Sri Lankan government last night brought back emergency regulations that would grant the security forces sweeping powers to detain and interrogate suspects without obtaining warrants. Also Read:  Fourth planned Sri Lanka hotel attack failed, all police stations put on high alert