ISIS claims responsibility for attack in Sri Lanka after reports of Christchurch links

"Those who carried out the attack that targeted members of the US-led coalition and Christians in Sri Lanka the day before yesterday are Islamic State group fighters," the Islamic State (IS) said in a statement through its propaganda 'Amaq' news agency, according to the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist activities. The devastating suicide attacks that killed 321 people and wounded more than 500 others in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

The blasts targeted 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 around 8.45 a.m. (local time) as the Easter Sunday mass were in progress, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. The three hotels hit were the Shangri-La Colombo, Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo and the Cinnamon Grand Colombo.

Forty suspects, including the driver of a van allegedly used by the suicide bombers, have been arrested in connection with the attacks which shook Sri Lanka.

The blasts were earlier being linked to National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) but that may not be the case.

Worth noticing, Sri Lanka's deputy defence minister informed Parliament on Tuesday that the terror attack targeting churches and luxury hotels on Easter Sunday was carried out by the local Islamic extremists in retaliation for the mosque attacks in New Zealand.