Footage has been released of the moment a suspected suicide bomber entered St Sebastian’s church in Negombo moments before an explosion. The suspect, highlighted by a red ring, can be seen entering the church before joining the crowd. The young bearded man can also be seen carrying a backpack. The video is stopped before an explosion rips through the church building.
At least 110 people were killed at St Sebastien’s, according to the Archbishop of Colombo, in the deadliest of a series of attacks that took place in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.
According to @Breaking911, the total number of people killed in the Colombo explosions has now reached 310.
At least 500 have been confirmed as injured after the series of attacks on hotels and churches.
Today the country will go into mourning to remember those lost in the devastating explosions.
The latest figures come after the country was granted emergency powers to allow the Sri Lankan police and military to detain and interrogate suspects without court orders.
The power came into force at midnight local time on Monday, Sky News reported.
A government minister has blamed militant group National Thawheed Jama’ut for the attacks.
Sri Lankan police are currently investigating whether previous warnings of the attack were ignored or missed.
On Monday, reports suggested that another blast happened in Colombo, with 87 low-explosive detonators were found at the main bus station in Pettah, near the east of the capital.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but a local group of extreme Muslims are believed to have been behind them.
Health minister Rajitha Senaratne said he believed the Islamist group National Towheed Jamath (NTJ) was responsible.
Pope Francis has called for universal condemnation of what he said were “never justifiable terrorist, inhuman acts”.
Hours after Sunday’s attacks, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the government had some prior information about a possible attack by Islamist extremists.
A domestic intelligence report dated April 11 allegedly said a foreign intelligence agency had warned the authorities of possible attacks.
Two British teenage siblings were named among eight UK citizens to have perished.
Daniel Linsey, 19, and Amelie, 15, died as they attempted to escape from Colombo’s Shangri-La hotel.