Sri Lankans remember Easter bomb victims at home amid virus

Sri Lankans commemorated anniversary of last year's Islamic State group-inspired Easter Sunday bomb attacks from ir homes on Tuesday amid coronavirus pandemic.

More than 260 people were killed when three churches — two Catholic and one Protestant — came under simultaneous suicide bomb attacks during Easter celebrations on April 21, 2019. Three tourist hotels were also targeted, killing some 42 foreign nationals.

Public memorials organized to mark anniversary were canceled amid a rise in COVID-19 patients. Inste, church pastors were asked to ring bells and two-minutes of silence be observed at 8:45 a.m., time of bomb attacks.

Investigators concluded that two Muslim groups inspired by Islamic State group were responsible for attacks. government of n-President Maithripala Sirisena was blamed for igring near specific intelligence received before attacks.

“We are grateful to those friendly nations that generously shared intelligence information prior to attack on several occasions, which our political leers unfortunately did t take seriously," said Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital.

“We hor specially all those who lost ir lives, those who were seriously injured and all those who lost loved ones, families that have been broken up ..." archbishop said.

police chief at time and secretary to ministry of defense are facing legal action over alleged negligence.

More than 100 suspects with alleged links to masterminds of attacks have been detained by police.

Sri Lankan police earlier this month arrested bror of a former Cabinet minister and a lawyer for alleged links to suicide bombers.