Church wants more vigorous crackdown on Sri Lankan Islamists

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The Catholic church in Sri Lanka says the government should crack down on Islamists with more vigor “as if on war footing” in the aftermath of the Easter bombings.

Sri Lankan girls hold candles during a function to express solidarity with all the victims of Easter Sunday attacks, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 28, 2019. Sri Lanka’s Catholics celebrated Sunday Mass in their homes by a televised broadcast as churches across the island nation shut over fears of militant attacks, a week after the Islamic State-claimed Easter suicide bombings killed over 250 people. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, said the church may not be able to stop people from taking the law into their own hands unless the government conducts a more thorough investigation and prevents further attacks.

The cardinal said Monday he is not satisfied in the manner in which the government has done its investigations so far.

Ranjith told reporters, “All the security forces should be involved and function as if on war footing.”

More than 250 people died in the blasts targeting worshippers in three churches and in three luxury hotels. /gsg