Some of the groups banned Wednesday had previously been linked to the lead bomber. The seven Sri Lankans who attacked three churches and three hotels in April 2019 had pledged allegiance to the IS leader at the time, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Two local groups said to be directly linked to the attacks were banned in 2019, but a presidential investigation into the bombings wanted similar Islamic groups outlawed too. The head of the Roman Catholic church in Sri Lanka, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has demanded swift action not just against those responsible, but against the politicians and officials who failed to stop them. The United States has filed action against three Sri Lankans over the bombings.

Source: Dhaka Tribune April 14, 2021 11:26 UTC