Sri Lanka top cop resigns over failure to avert Easter bombings: President Maithripala Sirisena

Sri Lanka's police chief resigned from his post on Friday, two days after President Maithripala Sirisena asked him to step down over security establishment's failure to avert dely Easter bombings.

Sirisena, who is also Defence Minister, said Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara resigned over failures which led to attacks on three hotels and three churches on Sunday that claimed 253 lives.

" IGP has resigned. He has sent his resignation to acting defence secretary. I'll minate a new IGP soon," President said.

police chief's resignation came a day after country's Defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando handed over his resignation letter to President.

Sirisena h asked Fernando and Jayasundara to quit after ir failure to prevent blasts despite having prior intelligence.

Sirisena said intelligence supplied by a friendly nation was t shared with him by officials.

"All y have done was to exchange letters among mselves. I asked both police chief and defence secretary why information was t shared with me, y remained silent," he said.

He said security lapse was also due to current government's weakening of intelligence operations.

"This is a reference to arrest and trials against a handful of military intelligence officers who were responsible for attacks and murder of journalists, abductions and ransom taking," he said.

He said power struggle in his government was because he h objected to government's weakening of security forces.

Sirisena said he would soon set up a Joint Operations Command to combat terrorism and each and every house would be checked for safety of all citizens.

Top officials have ackwledged that Sri Lanka received intelligence about possible terror strikes ahe of attacks, but both Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that y did t receive information.

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Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on Easter Sunday.

Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for attacks, but government has blamed a local Islamist extremist group National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ) for attacks.

president also confirmed that Sri Lankan Islamist extremist Zahran Hashim, leer of NTJ, died in blast at Shangri-La hotel. Hashim led attack on hotel and was accompanied by a second bomber, Ilham Ahmed Ibrahim.

President also appealed to island nation t to view its mirity Muslim community as terrorists in wake of attacks.

Sirisena said despite attacks, island's nine per cent Muslim mirity must t be regarded terrorists.

"We looked into banning NTJ but we do t have laws to do that right w. We have to draft new laws. We will get this done soon. Information is that around 130-140 ISIS suspects are in country. Around 70 are arrested, we will arrest m all very soon ending this (terror)," Sirisena ded.

Police said that over 70 suspects, including five women, have been arrested as Lankan authorities have intensified ir search operations with help of army.

Today's Friday prayers were cancelled as a Muslim ologists Group, Jammiyyathul Ulama asked Muslims to pray indoors. This was followng information received that extremists could carry out more attacks.

" city and immediate suburbs of Colombo looked deserted this morning. Most offices have allowed employees to work from home. During last 24 hours, re have been incidents reported," Brigier Sumith Atapattu, military spokesman, said.

He said Sri Lankan Army would continue search operations for suspects linked to terror group.