KUWAIT STRONGLY CONDEMNS TERRORIST BLASTS IN LANKA

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Amir offers condolences to Pope -‘Government failed to heed warnings’

KUWAIT CITY, April 22, (Agencies): Kuwait has strongly condemned the terrorist explosions that targeted churches and hotels in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo and other areas, and led to death and injury of hundreds of victims. Kuwait reiterates its firm and principle stand against violence and terror, affirming support of all measures and procedures taken by Sri Lanka to protect its safety and stability, an official foreign ministry source said in a statement Sunday.

Kuwait also expresses its sincere condolences and sorrow to the victims’ families, wishing a swift recovery for the wounded, added the statement. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable Monday to head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State Pope Francis, expressing deepest condolences over the attacks on hotels and churches in the capital Colombo which resulted in scores of casualties.

In the cable, His Highness the Amir affirmed Kuwait’s strong condemnation of such heinous terror attacks that go against teachings of faiths, as well as human values. His Highness the Amir conveyed sentiments of sympathy towards the families of the victims, as well as praying for the swift recovery of those injured.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al- Sabah sent similar cables. Sri Lankan officials failed to heed warnings from intelligence agencies about the threat of an attack by a domestic radical Muslim group that officials blame for Easter Sunday bombings which killed more than 200 people, the country’s health minister said Monday.

The coordinated bombings that ripped through churches and luxury hotels were carried out by seven suicide bombers from a militant group named National Thowfeek Jamaath, Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. International intelligence agencies warned of the attacks several times starting April 4, Senaratne said.

On April 9, the defense ministry wrote to the police chief with intelligence that included the group’s name, he said. On April 11, police wrote to the heads of security of the judiciary and diplomatic security division, Senaratne said. It was not immediately clear what action, if any, was taken in response.

Authorities said little was known about the group except that its name had appeared in intelligence reports. Shortly after Senaratne spoke to reporters, a van parked near one of the bombed churches, St Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, exploded, sending pedestrians fleeing in panic. While inspecting it, police found three bombs they attempted to defuse but that instead detonated. No injuries were reported. Also on Monday, police found 87 detonators near Colombo’s main bus depot, officials said.

They declined to comment on whether they were linked to Sunday’s attacks. Because of political dysfunction within the government, Seranatne said, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Cabinet were kept in the dark about the intelligence until after the attacks. President Maithrela Sirisena, who was out of the country at the time of the attacks, ousted Wickremesinghe in late October and dissolved the Cabinet. The Supreme Court eventually reversed his actions, but the prime minister has not been allowed into meetings of the Security Council since October. All of the bombers were Sri Lankan citizens, but authorities suspect foreign links, Senaratne said.

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