Sri Lanka accuses local Islamist movement in the attacks of Easter

The Sri Lankan government accused Monday a local Islamist movement, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ), in the wave of suicide bombings of the previous day whose record has increased to 290 dead.

While the attacks had still not been claimed, the presidency declared a state of emergency from Monday midnight (1830 GMT) in the name of "public security".

In a few hours this Easter Sunday, coordinated bombings have caused death in hotels and churches celebrating Mass in many places on the South Asian island, which had not seen such an outburst of violence. violence since the end of the civil war ten years ago.

While naming the NJT, the government spokesman said it was "hard to see how a small organization in this country can do all that".

"We are investigating possible foreign aid and their other links, how they train suicide bombers, how they produced these bombs," he added.....