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Saturday 23 of November 2024

AP Interview: Sri Lankan president says country now safe


AP Photo,Catholic devotees pray at the St. Anthony's church after it was partially opened for the first time since Easter Sunday attacks, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Two bomb experts were among the suicide attackers who struck churches and hotels on Easter in Sri Lanka and all those directly involved in the bombings are either dead or under arrest, police said. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
AP Photo,Catholic devotees pray at the St. Anthony's church after it was partially opened for the first time since Easter Sunday attacks, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Two bomb experts were among the suicide attackers who struck churches and hotels on Easter in Sri Lanka and all those directly involved in the bombings are either dead or under arrest, police said. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s president says “99%” of the suspects in Easter Sunday attacks on churches and hotels have been arrested and their explosive materials seized.

President Maithripala Sirisena said in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday that Sri Lanka is now safe for tourists.

It’s been just over two weeks since a group of Sri Lankan militants carried out suicide bombings at churches full of people celebrating Easter services and at luxury hotels.

More than 250 people were killed in the Islamic State group-claimed attacks.

Sirisena said he was not told of near-specific advance information from Indian intelligence sources about the plot and the attackers.

He told AP that the violence wasn’t a problem specific to Sri Lanka but rather “global terrorism.”