Beyond the Easter Bombs: Unanswered Questions: The wife who died with her children
On April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka witnessed its deadliest attack since May 2009—a series of coordinated suicide bombings targeting three churches and three luxury hotels, killed over 250 innocent people. Eight suicide bombers, affiliated with the extremist group National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) and inspired by the ideology of ISIS, carried out the attacks. Among the victims were dozens of foreign nationals, prompting not only national outrage but also international involvement in the investigations.
Yet, beyond the horror and destruction of the bombings lies a deeper, darker story—one of complicity, negligence, and disturbing questions about who knew, and why nothing was done.
Unanswered Questions: The Wife Who Died With Her Children
Among the most chilling aspects of this tragedy is the case of the wife of one of the suicide bombers, who blew herself up with her two children and unborn baby when police arrived at their luxury Colombo residence. The fact that she had access to a suicide vest raises profound questions:
– How did she obtain the suicide gear?
– Was she also trained or indoctrinated?
– Was her role planned as part of a larger mission?
Her suicide not only killed herself and her children but also three police officers.
That no full investigation has been publicly disclosed into this angle is both a glaring omission and a potential cover-up.
Failures of Security Apparatus
According to reports, Sri Lanka’s intelligence agencies received detailed warnings from India as early as April 4, 2019, identifying targets and suspects. Even 11 days before the attack, intelligence clearly stated that suicide attacks were being planned on churches and hotels by Zaharan Hashim and his network. On April 20, another warning was sent. These were ignored.
Despite being in possession of this actionable intelligence, Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), failed to act decisively. By order of President Sirisena in December 2018, all intelligence data had to be routed through the CID, making it the primary body responsible for proactive measures. What were they doing with the files? How many warnings did they act on?
Zaharan Hashim and the Radical Network
Zaharan Hashim, the ideological leader of the attackers, was well-known to security agencies. He had a history of violent extremist actions since 2016, including links to incidents like the 2018 Vavunativu police killings. Despite this, no arrests were made, and no serious action was taken.
His network extended beyond Sri Lanka:
– He allegedly visited Kerala, where extremist indoctrination camps are reported.
– The FBI, UK, Australian Federal Police, Interpol, and Indian intelligence agencies all launched their own investigations.
– The U.S. charged three Sri Lankan nationals in 2021 for providing material support to ISIS.
These bombers were not poor or uneducated—they were affluent, educated, and well-connected individuals, underscoring the global nature of radicalization via ideology and online propaganda.
The Caliphate Dream and Psychological Warfare
The NTJ cell believed they were creating an Islamic Caliphate, pledging allegiance to ISIS. Their indoctrination followed a familiar pattern:
– The narrative of Islam being under siege,
– Demonization of non-Muslims as infidels,
– Isolation and reinforcement in digital echo chambers.
Zaharan’s ideology was not about defending Islam, but about creating apocalyptic chaos through mass murder. That this ideology spread to an upper-middle class family indicates the power of psychological warfare by extremist recruiters.
A Broader Geo-Religious Conflict?
The attacks did not occur in a vacuum. Sri Lanka, after its 2015 regime change, had become geopolitically vulnerable. Some believe the country was being tugged by three competing forces:
1. Islamic extremists seeking Caliphate expansion
2. Indian Hindutva elements seeking Akhand Bharat
3. Cathohlic evangelical networks seeking conversions and influence on behalf of Wests geopolitical goals
Former President Maithripala Sirisena controversially suggested that India may have had knowledge or a role, though this remains unsubstantiated and highly contentious.
Why the Cardinal’s Focus May Be Misguided
Sri Lanka’s Catholic Cardinal continues to demand justice but focuses heavily on the theory of a non-Islamic “mastermind”. Critics argue that this distracts from the real threat of Islamist extremism, and from those who knew about the attack and failed to warn the public.
Many people—perhaps 15,000—knew of the threat, yet no mass public alert was issued. If these individuals, from politicians to church leaders to intelligence heads, had taken responsibility, many of the 269 victims might still be alive.
Accountability is the Only Way Forward
What is required is not another commission, but a bold, unified call for accountability:
– Every security and intelligence official who received warnings and did not act must be investigated.
– Every individual with knowledge of Zaharan’s activities who failed to alert the public must be questioned.
– Every political or religious actor attempting to hijack the narrative for personal or sectarian gain must be exposed.
Terror does not exist in a vacuum—it festers in spaces where good people stay silent.
Never Again
The Easter Sunday attacks were not just the product of radical ideology—they were also the result of willful negligence and institutional failure.
No conspiracy theory or political diversion can change that or should be allowed to change it.
For the victims and their families, and for the future security of Sri Lanka, every individual who knew and did nothing must be held to account. Only then can the country heal, and only then can such a horror truly be said to be in the past.
There is no point in handing the same fox the same chickens. This exercise is unlikely to get anywhere.
What we now need & what we must now demand is action against all those who knew, who now pretend they did not know & demanding justice to cover their own guilty conscience. These people are more dangerous than even the suicide bombers especially if they are holding portfolios. How can the general public continue to have faith in them?
The Cardinal must also remember that not only Catholics perished on Easter Sunday. He must also remember that throughout 30 years of LTTE terror thousands of innocent people including foreign nations also were killed. None of them got successive Commission or Investigations while Catholic fathers were openly canvassing for LTTE then & even now continue to do so.
Shenali D Waduge
