More than 200 people were killed and hundreds more were injured after multiple explosions tore through Sri Lanka in a series of coordinated blasts that struck hotels and churches. It marked the country’s worst violence since the end of its civil war in 2009.
The blasts started as people began gathering for mass on Sunday for Easter. In Colombo, the capital, blasts were reported at St. Anthony’s Shrine and three high-end hotels, the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury.
Explosions were also reported at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, north of the capital, and at Zion Church in the Eastern Province of Batticaloa. A police spokesman, Ruwan Gunasekara, said at least 207 people were killed and 450 wounded in the blasts.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Sri Lanka’s defense minister, Ruwan Wijewardena, says seven suspects linked to the explosions have been arrested. Wijewardena described the blasts as a terrorist attack carried out by religious extremists.
Honestly, Sri Lanka has a long history of bad things happening. The civil war was protracted and became a proxy war with the Indian invasion. Memories might fade, but hate burns in the heart.
I follow a good blog on church security. They list violent incidents from around the country. Nationwide, there are constant shootings, stabbings etc… at churches. I am only surprised we haven’t seen bombings and multi shooter mass attacks already…
If you aren’t paying attention to certain dates, religious holy days (both Christian and Islam), anniversaries of certain events (9-11) and the like then you really aren’t paying attention.
Might as well call it “terrorism season” except it really isn’t seasonal, it’s all year round and it never seems to end.
In case anyone is even interested, the current McDonalds number is 34,981 deadly attacks served by Islam since 9-11.
In contrast if anyone wants to discuss Christian “terrorism” at the height of the abortion clinic attacks involving individuals like Eric Rudolph (1996–98), and murders or attempted murders of physicians and clinic staff, as committed by James Kopp (1998), Paul Jennings Hill (1994), Scott Roeder (2009), Michael F. Griffin (1993), and Peter James Knight (2001) we are talking about eleven murders in the United States since 1990, as well as 41 bombings and 173 arsons at clinics since 1977.
People frequently like to equate the two. If Christians committed even 10% of the attacks that Islam is responsible people would lose their minds and talk about banning the religion itself.
But I had a trip planned to Bali in 3 weeks, which just so happens to be ramadan. The wife might be super pissed, but I am serisouly thinking about canceling completely. Would anyone here do the same, after this attack? I worked security Forces in Afghanistan and ramadan was a real shitty time for me, I wouldnt feel relaxed on vacation in a muslim country. Even though the island itself has a hindu population.
Would your wife feel more pissed if you said noting and something bad happened? Not saying anything will happen, but places where you’d normally feel safe is where they like to do things and Ramalamading dong increases the probability. Bali is mostly hindu with a muslim minority, but hell the muslims who would start shit might not even be from there.
You’ll probably be fine, just keep eyes open and have a “what if shit started right now” plan. It sucks that you have to check the calendar to find out when probability is high that “shit might start” but that is the current situation.
there are enough great thing to visit in our own country is my feeling anymore
while I used to travel a lot and loved it these days not so much since the hatred and crap that goes on why support any of it at all ?
not cutting myself off from seen anything I cant see from video and photos but I am opening myself up to see the great country we live in till then
Povlsen, the CEO of wholesale fashion business Bestseller and richest man in Denmark, was reportedly visiting the country with his wife, Anne, and children on vacation when the attacks took place.
I can’t imagine, but I hope he uses some of that money to track these guys down.
“The government on Monday blamed a little-known radical Islamist group for the devastating Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed nearly 300 people. Officials said the group, which had not carried out any serious attacks before, had received help from an international terrorist organization.”
I wouldn’t go there to relax, especially during Ramadan. Too many safer places to go. For example, the Cayman Islands are in the Caribbean, are genuinely safe (unlike most Caribbean islands), are free of corruption, etc. Or maybe consider somewhere in the South Pacific far away from the religious wars.
I don’t go ANYWHERE I can’t carry. Including the People’s Democratic Republics of New Yawkistan, New Joisey, Commiefornia, Hellinois, and others… Fudge 'em.
