The Islamic State Tuesday claimed responsibility for the devastating Easter blasts in Sri Lanka and identified the seven suicide bombers who were involved in the attacks that killed 321 people and wounded more than 500 others.
In a statement issued through its propaganda ‘Amaq’ newsagency, the ISIS said that “the executors of the attack that targetedcitizens of coalition states and Christians in Sri Lanka two days ago were withthe group,” according to the Site Intelligence Group, which monitorsjihadist activities.
The statement identified the attackers as Abu Ubayda, Abual-Mukhtar, Abu Khalil, Abu Hamza, Abu al-Bara’a, Abu Muhammad and AbuAbdullah, and their respective targets.
It said Abu Hamza detonated his vest in the St Anthony’s Churchin Colombo, Abu Khalil blew himself up in the St Sebastian’s Church in Negomboand Abu Muhammad in the Zion Church. The rest of the attackers targeted hotels.
The statement also claimed that around 1,000 people werekilled or wounded in the multiple attacks – believed to be the most deadlystrike carried out by the Middle Eastern group outside Iraq and Syria.
The ISIS also issued a group photo of the attackers, showing8 attackers while its official claim mentioned 7. The faces of seven attackersin the photo are covered while the eighth one, who is believed to be the ringleader, is without a mask.
“The detail given in #ISIS’ communique (attackers’names, where each of them attacked)shows that the group had a hand in the attack – the degree to which stillremains to be seen. The group’s delay in claiming is also an unansweredvariable,” SITE Intelligence Group Director Rita Katz tweeted.
Sri Lanka has said local Islamist extremist group called theNational TawheedJamath (NTJ) is suspected of plotting the blasts.
“All suicide bombers involved in the blasts arebelieved to be Sri Lankan nationals,” said Government’s spokesmanRajithaSenaratne, who is also the Health Minister.
The NTJ has no history of large-scale attacks. The group came to prominence last year when it was blamed for damaging Buddhist statues. Forty suspects, including the driver of a van allegedly used by the suicide bombers, have been arrested in connection with the attacks which shook Sri Lanka.