Church wants more vigorous crackdown on Sri Lankan Islamists

Relatives of Sri Lankan couple Rohan Marselas Wimanna and Mary Noman Shanthi, who were killed in Easter Sunday bomb blasts pray at their residence on the seventh day of mourning in Negombo, north of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 28, 2019. Sri Lanka's Catholics celebrated Sunday Mass in their homes by a televised broadcast as churches across the island nation shut over fears of militant attacks, a week after the Islamic State-claimed Easter suicide bombings killed over 250 people. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A Sri Lankan Muslim priest talks to Sri Lankan Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith during a function to express solidarity with all the victims of Easter Sunday attacks, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 28, 2019. Sri Lanka's Catholics celebrated Sunday Mass in their homes by a televised broadcast as churches across the island nation shut over fears of militant attacks, a week after the Islamic State-claimed Easter suicide bombings killed over 250 people. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The Catholic church in Sri Lanka says the government should crack down on Islamists with more vigor "as if on war footing" in the aftermath of the Easter bombings.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, said the church may not be able to stop people from taking the law into their own hands unless the government conducts a more thorough investigation and prevents further attacks.

The cardinal said Monday he is not satisfied in the manner in which the government has done its investigations so far. Ranjith told reporters, "All the security forces should be involved and function as if on war footing."

More than 250 people died in the blasts targeting worshippers in three churches and in three luxury hotels.

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