Sri Lanka Restores Social Media Access Amid Ongoing Security Fears
Sri Lanka's president lifts the nationwide ban on social media platforms implemented after the Easter bombings that killed 253 people. Authorities warn that attack suspects remain at large and potential threats persist.
Sri Lanka's president lifts a nationwide ban on social media platforms that the government implements following the deadly Easter suicide bombings. President Maithripala Sirisena ends the blocking of Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube, but urges the public to act responsibly while using these online services. Officials originally block these sites to stop the spread of false information after coordinated attacks on churches and luxury hotels kill 253 people.
The government maintains tight security measures as officials warn that suspects connected to the attacks are still at large. Just one day before lifting the social media restriction, the president uses emergency powers to ban face veils worn by some Muslim women. The US ambassador to Sri Lanka echoes these security concerns, stating that active members of the armed group may be planning additional assaults.
The Islamic State group recently releases a video featuring its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who claims the Sri Lanka bombings are part of a revenge plot against the West. Local authorities initially blame a local suspect named Mohammed Zahran and his followers for the coordinated assaults. Meanwhile, the Catholic archbishop of Colombo publicly criticizes the government for failing to share specific intelligence about the attack plot prior to the devastating explosions.