The Easter terror attacks in Sri Lanka followed an unusual pattern. The bulk of the attacks in the past did not feature religious targets. Worldwide, terror attacks, even those claimed by the Islamic State, on religious sites were lower in number compared to those on targets such as government and military installations.
The storm after the lull
Data from the Global Terrorism Database show that fatalities from religious targets were a small number compared to other targets in Sri Lanka, with the past two years being comparatively peaceful in the island nation until the 2019 attacks.
The last religious target attack with a high no. of casualties took place in 1990, when terrorists attacked four mosques and left over 150 dead.
Peace following the civil war Data from the South Asia Terrorism Portal show that there were very few casualties from terrorist violence after the decimation of the LTTE in the 2009 civil war.
Colombo bears brunt GTD data show that Colombo has suffered the highest number of fatalities in terrorist attacks since 1970, while the northern city of Kilinochchi and the north-eastern city of Trincomalee are second and third on the list.
Fewer religious targets GTD data show that globally, attacks by the Islamic State on religious targets form a small fraction of the overall number of fatalities.
(Data for 2018 not available)
Investigators have found that two suspects involved in the attacks are Islamic State returnees from Syria and Iraq. The lead that investigators have obtained could potentially help Sri Lanka ascertain how the local National Thowheed Jamaath may have worked with the IS, which has claimed responsibility for the eight explosions that killed 350 people, including 45 children, on Sunday.
Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has also established that nine suicide bombers, including a woman, were part of the team that executed the deadly serial blasts.
So far Sri Lanka’s investigating agencies have identified 139 persons as members of the NTJ and associated groups and “traced all of them”, an official Colombo-based source told The Hindu .
Two years ago, Sri Lanka highlighted over 30 of its youth joining IS in Syria. They came from “well-educated, affluent families”, according to the then Justice Minister.
