Sri Lanka Catholic churches halt public services over security fears

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka´s Catholic church suspended all public services over security fears on Thursday, as thousands of troops joined the hunt for suspects in deadly Easter bombings that killed nearly 360 people.

Authorities made fresh arrests and stepped up security measures as the government faced pressure over its failure to act on Indian intelligence warnings before the suicide bombers blew themselves up in luxury hotels and churches packed with Easter Sunday worshippers.

A senior Catholic priest told AFP that all public services were being suspended and all churches closed “on the advice of security forces”. Private burials will still be carried out. Security forces using state of emergency powers arrested 16 more suspects overnight, bringing the total in custody to 74 since the attacks. Brigadier Sumith Atapattu said the army had increased its deployment on the streets from 5,000 to 6,300, with the navy and air force also deploying an additional 2,000 personnel.

Authorities also banned drone flights. But in a bid to win over tourists scared off by the attacks, it has suspended the need for visas for 39 countries — including European Union nations, Australia and the United States — for six months from May 1.