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Sri Lanka bombings: investigators probe global terror links as IS claims responsibility and death toll climbs to 321
- President Maithripala Sirisena said intelligence agencies had reported that ‘international organisations [were] behind these acts of local terrorists’
- State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene said the bombings could have been retaliation for the mosque shootings in New Zealand last month
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Interpol has joined the investigation into the devastating series of blasts across Sri Lanka on Sunday that killed 321 people, including at least 45 children, with attention now focused on a second extremist group known as Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen.
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In a special session of parliament on Tuesday, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene said investigators were examining links between the local jihadist group National Thowheed Jamath and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen. He also noted that the Easter Sunday bombings could have been retaliation for the terrorist attacks on two mosques in New Zealand last month.
The Interpol team, which includes specialists in crime scene examination, explosives, counterterrorism, disaster victim identification and analysis, will assist authorities with the investigation and identify potential international connections.
In a statement, President Maithripala Sirisena said the country’s intelligence agencies had reported that there were “international organisations behind these acts of local terrorists” and that he would seek foreign help to investigate.
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Late on Tuesday, Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement published through its propaganda arm.
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