New Zealand PM says no intelligence linking Sri Lanka attacks to Christchurch

[webfact]

New Zealand PM says no intelligence linking Sri Lanka attacks to Christchurch

 

FILE PHOTO: New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern leaves after the Friday prayers at Hagley Park outside Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand March 22, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

 

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday that her government was not aware of any intelligence suggesting that a devastating attack on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka was in retaliation for deadly shootings on a mosques in Christchurch.

 

Sri Lanka's junior minister for defence, Ruwan Wijewardene, told parliament on Tuesday that an initial investigation had revealed the bombings on churches and hotels, which killed 321 people, had been carried out in revenge for deadly shootings in two New Zealand mosques on March 15.

 

Security experts and analysts, however, have questioned whether the coordinated bomb attacks could have been planned in such a short period.

 

"We haven't received anything officially nor have we received any intelligence reports that corroborate what has been said in Sri Lanka," Ardern told reporters at a press conference in Auckland.

 

"Sri Lanka will be in the very early stages of its investigations. So we are simply stepping back and allowing them to undertake those, but we have nothing at this stage to corroborate what is being said," she added.

 

Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the Sri Lanka attacks on Tuesday and named what it said were seven attackers who carried them out. It gave no further evidence to support its claim of responsibility.

 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told a news conference investigators were making progress in identifying the perpetrators and believed there could be some links to IS.

 

Sri Lanka's junior defence minister had earlier told parliament that two Sri Lankan Islamist groups - the National Thawheed Jama'ut and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim - were responsible for the blasts early on Sunday during Easter services and as high-end hotels served breakfast.

 

He did not elaborate on why authorities believed there was a link to the killing of 50 Muslims at mosques in the NewZealand city of Christchurch during Friday prayers in March.

 

A lone gunman carried out those attacks, while livestreaming the massacre on Facebook.

 

(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and Praveen Menon; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Michael Perry)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-24

[toenail]

The dysfunctional Sri Lankan government ( who ignored three warnings from the USA & India’s intelligence agencies) wants to put the blame on someone. The Sri Lanka junior minister of defense that made this statement had no concrete evidence and it is obvious these  kinds of sophisticated explosives and planning was months in the making. Typical developing country politicians that want to put the blame on someone else - not on their laziness.  

[Thainesss]

Well ISIS has certainly claimed responsibility and posted the bombers suicide video. 

[simple1]

4 hours ago, Thainesss said:

Well ISIS has certainly claimed responsibility and posted the bombers suicide video. 

Security analysis's state the attack had been planned for months. Likely claiming link to the Christchurch terror attack as justification is opportunistic

[Destiny1990]

I would not mind dividing the world in purely muslim countries zones and Christian countries.

I would then never go to muslim countries and if they wouldn’t come here we be all off much better.

 

[toenail]

I would not mind dividing the world in purely muslim countries zones and Christian countries.
I would then never go to muslim countries and if they wouldn’t come here we be all off much better.
 

The irony of Sri Lanka is that it is around 72% Buddhist; whereas Christianity and Islam is around 7-8% each. The outside Islamic fanatics chose Sri Lanka knowing it would be easy to cause havoc.


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[UnkleGoooose]

She's a massive Muslim apologist, so of course she'll deny it. Disgusting animal.

[natway09]

Maybe China had the right idea, ban religion worldwide !!!

How is that for extreme

[Destiny1990]

Another thing what a shitty security over-there  that people with huge back packs can simply walk into churches and into restaurant rooms of 5 stars hotels without security even having them open their bags..

 

[Graemej100]

3 hours ago, UnkleGoooose said:

She's a massive Muslim apologist, so of course she'll deny it. Disgusting animal.

What in the world would you know about our politics? What do you know about her Donald? It must be so sad to have such a disposition as you display in this post. 

[ravip]

12 hours ago, toenail said:

The dysfunctional Sri Lankan government ( who ignored three warnings from the USA & India’s intelligence agencies) wants to put the blame on someone. The Sri Lanka junior minister of defense that made this statement had no concrete evidence and it is obvious these  kinds of sophisticated explosives and planning was months in the making. Typical developing country politicians that want to put the blame on someone else - not on their laziness.  

Speaking to CNN, the U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Alaina Teplitz, confirmed that the United States "had no prior knowledge of these attacks." >>> Full article

 

The dysfunctional Sri Lankan government - Agree 100% on this!

Some sources of news could be unreliable, as we all know.

[ravip]

4 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Another thing what a shitty security over-there  that people with huge back packs can simply walk into churches and into restaurant rooms of 5 stars hotels without security even having them open their bags..

 

In all other countries do they check backpacks every time you enter a building? Would be interesting to hear comments where a security officer would unpack a backpack of some tourist at an entrance to some building!!!! 

During a time of conflict, yes.

[Destiny1990]

22 minutes ago, ravip said:

In all other countries do they check backpacks every time you enter a building? Would be interesting to hear comments where a security officer would unpack a backpack of some tourist at an entrance to some building!!!! 

During a time of conflict, yes.

They will start that now..

very sloppy security these 5 start hotels in Sri Langka.

even churches could demand to not enter with big bags it’s ridiculous. 

[Scott]

Conspiracy post removed.   If you are going to make questionable remarks and not back them up with a link, you will face a suspension.  

[Destiny1990]

Sri Langka government got before several warnings  including names of the attackers but they did absolutely nothing.

I will never visit that country!

[Kevbo]

18 hours ago, UnkleGoooose said:

She's a massive Muslim apologist, so of course she'll deny it. Disgusting animal.

Agree, all that virtue signalling and crocodile tears hoping to avert retaliation were in vain

[Kevbo]

14 hours ago, Graemej100 said:

What in the world would you know about our politics? What do you know about her Donald? It must be so sad to have such a disposition as you display in this post. 

Not about NZ politics it's about having to endure her unconvincing amateur dramatics on television every day for weeks

[jak2002003]

19 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

I would not mind dividing the world in purely muslim countries zones and Christian countries.

I would then never go to muslim countries and if they wouldn’t come here we be all off much better.

 

I want a few countries (the ones with the most beautiful scenery and climate) where no religion is allowed.

 

But I don't think your idea will work though, because Christians always want to spread their religion and convert people from their 'false religions' to the 'true' Christian one.  You will get missionaries and people going into other countries to spread 'good news'.

 

Then you will have the Muslims invading the none Muslim countries as their god given right to expand their empire, or something like that, in the name of god, and killing anybody who is not one of them for god (as apparently he can not do anything himself).

 

Religions as just stupid, evil and outdated, holding humanity back.