Over 500 were hospitalised having sustained serious injuries. One year since that deadly attack we remember with grief all those who were killed and injured in these attacks.

“Since the new government under President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa took office the Defence Ministry has been tasked with ensuring national security and they have taken up the task very seriously. Looking back at what led to these attacks, it is clear to us security experts that it was mere ignorance and indifference regarding national security by the then rulers was what allowed such a tragedy to happen. We have already commenced the investigations into this incident and as we have pledged to the people, we will find those who masterminded these attacks, those who carried them out, those who funded these extremists and those who aided and supported them from behind the scenes,” he added.

As the Defence Ministry, he said that measures have been taken to ensure that such tragedies are never repeated in this country and we are committed to ensuring the safety of all our people. “We have empowered and strengthened the intelligence services and they are geared to take action against any group getting together to plot such attacks and disrupt the country’s peace. The intelligence, military and the police are all prepared and on alert to take action to prevent any such plots right at the point of planning and prevent another tragedy such as the Easter Sunday attacks from ever happening on Sri Lankan soil.”