Anonymous ID: 055d05 April 21, 2019, 6:58 a.m. No.6262348   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2389 >>2594 >>2660 >>2967

Easter Sunday explosions at multiple churches and hotels rock Sri Lanka, death tolls rises past 200

 

More than 207 people died and hundreds more injured after six nearly simultaneous explosions struck three churches and three luxury hotels in and just outside of Sri Lanka’s capital on Easter Sunday. They were followed hours later by two more blasts.

A spokesperson for the Sri Lanka police said 207 people died and 450 injured in the series of blasts – marking the bloodshed as among the worst since the South Asian country’s 26-year civil war ended a decade ago.

Multiple fatalities – including nearly a dozen foreigners – resulted among worshipers and hotel guests. With a curfew imposed, police conducted a search operation on the outskirts of Colombo, where that the latest of eight blasts took place.

Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardena, who described the attacks as a terrorist incident and blamed religious extremists, said Sunday evening that seven suspects have been arrested. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he feared the violence could trigger instability in the country and its economy.

 

The first explosion occurred around 8:45 a.m. local time, with the deadliest appearing to be at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, a city about 20 miles north of Colombo. Other attacks occurred at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo and Zion Church in the eastern city of Batticaloa. The three hotels – the Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury Hotel – all in Colombo are frequented by foreign tourists.

The other two blasts occurred in Dematagoda, where the occupants of a safehouse apparently detonated explosives to prevent arrest.

An official told the Associated Press that at least two of the church blasts were believed to have been coordinated attack carried out by suicide bombers.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s blasts.

“The United States offers heartfelt condolences to the great people of Sri Lanka,” U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted in part early Sunday. “We stand ready to help!”

 

Photos from the scene showed extensive damage, along with blood and debris inside the targeted churches.

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz offered her condolences over Twitter early Sunday.

"Deeply saddened by the senseless attacks in Sri Lanka today. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand with Sri Lanka’s people at this terrible moment," she tweeted. St. Sebastian's pleaded for help on its Facebook page. The explosion ripped the roof off the building and knocked out doors and windows. Churches throughout the country have been placed on alert, with many canceling Easter services.

Foreign tourists on the Classic Sri Lankan tour hurriedly took to their cellphones to text family and loved ones around the world that they were OK after the blasts.

The group was on a 15-day tour of the tropical island nation, seeing sites including huge Buddhist monuments, tea plantations, jungle eco-lodges and famed sandy beaches.

Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Harsha de Silva tweeted Sunday of "many casualties including foreigners."

 

"Sec Defence and I am at Kochchikade church. Also was at ShangriLa n Kingsbury. PM is on his way from Bentota. Emergency meeting called in a few minutes. Rescue operations underway. Please stay calm and indoors. Many casualties including foreigners," he posted.

"Horrible scenes. I saw many body parts strewn all over. Emergency crews are at all locations in full force. We, at 1990 also have close to 20 units at the various locations. We took multiple casualties to hospital. Hopefully saved many lives," he continued.

The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, called on Sri Lanka's government to launch a "very impartial strong inquiry" and to punish those found responsible "mercilessly because only animals can behave like that."

There was an outpouring of condemnation from around the world following the attacks.

Pope Francis denounced the "cruel violence" at the end of his traditional Easter Sunday blessing.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/easter-sunday-explosions-at-multiple-churches-and-hotels-rock-sri-lanka-death-tolls-rises

Anonymous ID: 055d05 April 21, 2019, 7:21 a.m. No.6262514   🗄️.is 🔗kun

I saw this last night, and then woke to hear of the bombings in the churches in Sri Lanka.

I thought this was odd when I saw it last night. I have no idea who this is….just came up on my feed.

 

https://twitter.com/leovanipayseur/status/1119739226604625921

Anonymous ID: 055d05 April 21, 2019, 7:32 a.m. No.6262611   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2641 >>2709

Schiff: Trump’s Obstruction of Justice ‘Far Worse Than Anything’ Nixon Did — ‘Far More Serious than Watergate’

 

Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) said the Mueller report showed President Donald Trump’s obstruction of justice was “far worse than anything that Richard Nixon did.”

 

Schiff said, “I have been clear over the last year, there’s ample evidence of collusion in plain sight. I distinguish time and time again between collusion that’s acts of corruption that may or may not be criminal and proof of criminal conspiracy.”

 

He continued, “The obstruction of justice, in this case, is far worse than anything that Richard Nixon did. The break-in of the Russians of the democratic institutions, foreign adversary. Yes, I would say in every way this is more significant. The fact that a candidate for president and now the president of the United States will not only stand up and resist Russia interference in our election goes beyond anything that Richard Nixon yes. It’s far more serious than Watergate.”

 

He added, “I do believe he obstructed justice and did so in many ways and I think the Mueller report points out how the elements of obstruction are met in several courses of the president’s conduct.”

 

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2019/04/21/schiff-trumps-obstruction-of-justice-far-worse-than-anything-nixon-did-far-more-serious-than-watergate/

Anonymous ID: 055d05 April 21, 2019, 7:43 a.m. No.6262692   🗄️.is 🔗kun

>>6262641

I know….this 'obstruction of justice' shit is really

wearing on my nerves.

My thing is this, if Schiff is as bad as we have heard he is , and he has done the things we have learned, how can he be

walking around all cocky, doing interviews all calm and relaxed….

he should be scared out of his mind….I don't get it….

Anonymous ID: 055d05 April 21, 2019, 8 a.m. No.6262844   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>2923 >>2967

Sri Lanka bomber queued at Cinnamon Grand hotel buffet then unleashed devastation

 

COLOMBO: The suicide bomber waited patiently in a queue for the Easter Sunday breakfast buffet at Sri Lanka's Cinnamon Grand hotel before setting off explosives strapped to his back.

 

Carrying a plate, the man, who had registered at the hotel the night before as Mohamed Azzam Mohamed, was just about to be served when he set off his devastating strike in the packed restaurant, a manager at the Sri Lankan hotel said.

"There was utter chaos," said the manager, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity as he is not allowed to speak for the company.

The Taprobane restaurant at the hotel was having one of its busiest days of the year for the Easter holiday weekend.

"It was 8:30 am and it was busy. It was families," the manager told AFP.

 

"He came up to the top of the queue and set off the blast," he added.

"One of our managers who was welcoming guests was among those killed instantly."

The bomber also died. Parts of his body were found intact by police and taken away.

 

Other hotel officials told how the bomber, a Sri Lankan, checked in giving an address that turned out to be false, saying he was in the city for business.

Two other hotels, the Shangri-La and the Kingsbury, were hit at about the same time, along with three churches packed with worshippers attending Easter Sunday services.

 

The blast at St Anthony's Shrine, a historic Catholic Church, was so powerful that it blew out much of the roof, leaving roof tiles, glass and splintered wood littering the floor that was strewn with bodies.

Authorities have not said who staged the attacks. But all suffered major casualties and damage. Many of the 35 foreigners killed in the blasts were at the hotels, officials said.

"There was utter chaos, but we rushed all the injured to hospital in a very short time," the Cinnamon Grand manager said.

 

"About 20 people were seriously wounded and we sent them to the National Hospital."

The hotel is close to the Sri Lankan prime minister's official residence and Special Task Force commandos were quickly at the scene.

At the Shangri-La, witnesses said they heard two loud blasts and that staff reported some people had been killed. But details of the toll were not immediately given.

 

An AFP photographer saw extensive damage in the second-floor restaurant at the hotel, with windows blown out and electrical wires hanging from the ceiling.

The Shangri-La said in a statement that the bomb hit at approximately 9:00 am local time at its Table One restaurant.

 

"We are deeply saddened and shocked by the incident and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the casualties and those who have been affected," it said.

"Our immediate priority is to look after the safety and wellbeing of all involved. A Shangri-La crisis management team has been activated to provide all necessary support."

The Kingsbury is also one of Colombo's most expensive hotels, positioned near the city's World Trade Center.

The toll there was not known.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the hotel said: "On behalf of the entire Kingsbury team we share in the shock, grief and mourning of our entire nation in the aftermath of the recent attack."

 

"Medical evacuation and treatment of the injured guests and employees were handled immediately." The hotel said it had been "isolated" for further safety checks.

 

http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2019/apr/21/sri-lanka-bomber-queued-at-cinnamon-grand-hotel-buffet-then-unleashed-devastation-1967168.html

Anonymous ID: 055d05 April 21, 2019, 8:16 a.m. No.6262985   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>3012

>>6262909

most here get really upset when his stuff is posted here.

I follow him on twat, and I think he is part of Q…followed him long enough that it sure seems that way.

Although, if he is a larp, no harm done following him. That's how I look at it.

Anonymous ID: 055d05 April 21, 2019, 8:21 a.m. No.6263028   🗄️.is 🔗kun

>>6262923

did you notice the part that said World Trade Center? There is more to this story, me thinks…

 

>Our immediate priority is to look after the safety and wellbeing of all involved. A Shangri-La crisis management team has been activated to provide all necessary support."

The Kingsbury is also one of Colombo's most expensive hotels, positioned near the city's World Trade Center.