Speculation about those responsible for bombing churches and hotels focuses on jihadist groups
IT HAS BEEN nearly ten years since the guns fell silent in Sri Lanka’s civil war. But bloodshed returned with a vengeance on Easter day when a succession of explosions ripped through three churches packed with worshippers, and three five-star hotels. At least 207 people were killed and hundreds more were injured.
Around 30 minutes later, there were explosions at the Shangri-La, the Kingsbury and the Cinnamon Grand hotels in Colombo. All are five-star venues and many of the victims were enjoying Easter breakfast special offers. At least 11 foreigners were confirmed killed. Among the nationalities were Indian, Turkish, Portuguese, British and joint US-UK nationals. The authorities counted the bodies of 25 more people presumed to be foreign. The US State Department said “several” Americans had been killed.
Whoever the perpetrators may be, there are worries that the blasts will stir renewed inter-communal strife. Of Sri Lanka’s population of more than 20m people, about 75% are Sinhalese . Tamils, living mostly in the north and east, make up about 11% and are predominantly Hindu. The rebellion by the Tamil Tigers lasted for 27 years. Muslims make up about 9% and speak Tamil.
Hence the speculation about “foreign actors”, as Cardinal Ranjith put it—in particular Muslim extremists. Only a few dozen Sri Lankan Muslims are thought to have joined the tens of thousands of foreigners who volunteered to fight with the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Some have worried about more radical forms of Islam being introduced to the island by contact with foreign preachers.
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