Ruwan Wijewardene also reported the death toll had risen to 321.
Sunday’s devastating bomb blasts on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka were a direct response to the attacks on two New Zealand mosques carried out by a white supremacist last month, according to Sri Lanka’s defense minister.
Local Islamist group National Thowheed Jamaath is believed to be behind the attack. However, the organization has no history of violent attacks and Sri Lankan officials suspect the militants had assistance from a separate international group. But Safi also cited experts who have suggested the five weeks between Christchurch and Sunday’s bombs were not enough time to plan and carry out such a sophisticated attack. The target selection, recruitment and training of the suicide bombers, testing of explosives and final preparations of such a complex operation would likely have needed several months, according to terrorism specialists.
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