Colombo bombings: India sent specific alert to Sri Lanka last month

The Indian intelligence agencies had sent out a specific alert to Sri Lanka a month back warning that the country could be attacked.

It was on the basis of this alert that the Sri Lankan police had sent out an advisory stating that Churches would be attacked. The advisory was sent out on April 11 by the police in which it warns that 11 Churches would be attacked on Easter Sunday.

The guard of the Sri Lankan police was however down owing to a shut down since April 12 dye the Sinhala Tamil New Year. An Intelligence Bureau official in India tells OneIndia that the target was clearly the Catholics. The Christians who form 6 per cent of the country's population were out in large numbers due to Easter. Moreover the attack comes 10 days after a warning was issued about Churches being attacked in the country. A message received by the police on April 11 stated that 11 Churches would be attacked. It was further warned that all the Catholics should go home and this should be informed to all the families. With the blasts today, the intelligence in Sri Lanka has warned that there could be more attacks. The country has been placed under very high alert and security has been tightened all over.

People have been advised to stay indoors and not venture out. Investigators are on the scene and are gathering as much evidence as possible. Over 200 people were killed after six blasts ripped across several place in Colombo. Three churches - St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa - were targeted, police said.