Analysis | Sri Lanka’s bloody Easter puts spotlight on a new terror threat

By Ishaan Tharoor Ishaan Tharoor Reporter covering foreign affairs, geopolitics and history Email Bio Follow April 22 at 12:59 AM Want smart analysis of the most important news in your inbox every weekday along with other global reads, interesting ideas and opinions to know? Sign up for the Today’s WorldView newsletter.

For Sri Lanka’s Christian community and devotees around the world, the blasts on the holiest day of the year seemed an epochal disaster. In his Easter address, delivered from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis condemned the “horrendous” and “cruel act of violence.” An outpouring of condolences followed from other world leaders, too.

Years of conflict between state forces and the Tamil Tigers ended with the latter’s decisive defeat in 2009, but the decade that followed has seen bouts of communal violence and simmering ethnic and religious tensions, often stirred by elements within Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Amarnath Amarasingam, a Toronto-based expert on extremism and terrorism and a senior research fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, agreed that the nature of the targets suggested the attacks were not an exclusively “local” affair.

The details remain murky, but Sri Lankan authorities have moved quickly to stem the spread of conspiracy theories and incendiary content. The government imposed a nighttime curfew and blocked access to social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, which have been used in the past to circulate messaging that incited attacks against minority groups in the country.

.@POTUS and I are monitoring the horrific attacks on those celebrating Easter in Sri Lanka. Our hearts & prayers are with the victims & their families. This atrocity is an attack on Christianity & religious freedom everywhere. No one should ever be in fear in a house of worship.

Mr. POMPEO& SRI LANKAN BLASTS : No grup/individual owing algiance to the grup/ acting alone can b motivated for long 20 yrs to KILL PPL BY KILLING THEMSELVES, ONLY TO DSTURB INTERNATIONAL PEACE & SECURITY. THESE PPL WANT TO STBLISH A SUNNI-ISLAM-ONLY WORLD! Mr. Pompeii is wrong

How can you call the threat against the non Islamic world 'new'?

Extremists are bad news from every where specially muslim

Hail Mary pray for us!!

Yes, I know it's a cliche, but wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all 'Live and Let Live?' 🤔😂😖

There has been 421 people killed and 506 injured in the last 30 days in the name of Islam.That number is minus this attack because it hasn't been confirmed. Keep talking about white nationalists though, they're definitely the biggest threat to the world.

'New?' 9-11, London, Madrid, Boston, Paris, Bombay, Syria, ... What do Islamists have to do to make it into progressive historical memory?

Looks like some people extremists did something again?

Notre Dame, Sri Lanka, tudo está fazendo sentindo.

New?

The greatest threat: is a Lack of Faith...?

It was not just something happened to some people. This was an Islamic terror attack on Christians

What’s new about this?

How is radical Islamic terrorism new?

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Explosions hit 2 churches in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayGet breaking national and world news, broadcast video coverage, and exclusive interviews. Find the top news online at ABC news. It’s appalling at how many Christians are killed all over the world by Muslims. Does that make me an Islamaphobe? Does this please you? Yeah, we read it Twice the First time...
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »

Explosions hit two churches in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayWitnesses are reporting two explosions have hit two churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, causing casualties among worshippers. Neoavatara Gee... This is horrific..another attack on a church? RIP
Source: CNBC - 🏆 12. / 72 Read more »

Coordinated explosions rock three churches and two hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayThe blasts in the churches took place at approximately 8:45 a.m. in the cities of Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa. More than 100 people were admitted to hospitals in Colombo. This is a developing story. It will be updated. Retaliation for New Zealand? Hate has many new followers... I wonder why? Sud.2.
Source: washingtonpost - 🏆 95. / 72 Read more »

Reports: Multiple explosions rock Sri Lanka capital on Easter SundayMultiple casualties are reported after several explosions rocked chruches in the capital of Sri Lanka during Easter service They already found that the explosions were caused by an electrical short. Nothing to see here folks. Evil is lurking everywhere. My heartfelt prayers go out to the victims and the families of this horrific church bombing. ❤ Very sad. May god bring peace to this crazy world sometime soon.
Source: USATODAY - 🏆 100. / 63 Read more »

Explosions hit two Sri Lankan churches, two hotels at Easter: policeTwo Sri Lankan churches and two hotels were hit by explosions on Easter Sunday, ... Very sad, time has come to take serious actions on countries supporting terrorism. May the souls rest in peace. Islam. Sri lanka? Hahahhahahqqhhahqhaha... Tak penah penah sri lanka mcm ni.. Budha , kristian, hindu, islam hidup cun . Jemaah tabligh sket punya ramai .. xde problem . Ni keje saud!! 🤣.
Source: Reuters - 🏆 2. / 97 Read more »

Explosions kill at least 30 in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — At least 30 people were killed and nearly 300 wounded in near simultaneous blasts that rocked three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, officials... What group could have done such a thing. We may never know. Wow 😥💔 This is pure evil. There will be no peace for the perpetrators of this dastardly act. Rest shall be far from them until they are caught to face justice. I extend my deep condolence to everyone involved...
Source: AP - 🏆 728. / 51 Read more »

Over 100 causalities reported after explosions rock churches, several hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayMultiple explosions have occurred in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, including at two churches holding Easter Sunday services. Religion of peace strikes again
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Sri Lanka explosions: Over 100 dead in Easter Sunday attackThe blasts in the churches took place at approximately 8:45 a.m. in the cities of Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa. More than 200 people were admitted to hospitals. Atleast 35 foreigners dead. World must unite against terror in every corner of the earth
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Bombs kill 138 in Easter Day attacks on Sri Lankan churches, hotelsEaster Day bomb blasts at three Sri Lankan churches and three luxury hotels kill... 😭
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At least 100 killed in Easter Sunday blasts at Sri Lanka churches, hotelsSri Lanka's government declared a curfew and said it had shut down access to major social media sites and messaging services after Easter Sunday blasts killed at least 130 people I hope this attack will get the wall to wall coverage of new zealand? SriLanka More than twice as many as were killed in New Zealand Will Muslims condemn? Will their leaders now wear crucifixes around their necks in solidarity w Christians on the holiest day of the year? 🙏🏽
Source: NBCNews - 🏆 10. / 86 Read more »

Easter Sunday blasts across Sri Lanka -- live updatesAn eighth explosion has been confirmed in Sri Lanka, where a series of coordinated bomb attacks on churches and hotels has claimed the lives of at least 140 people. The biggest form of a coward. Islam back at it again
Source: CNN - 🏆 4. / 95 Read more »