WASHINGTON, DC: April 23, 2019. (PCP) In Defense of Christians (IDC), the nation’s leading advocacy organization for Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East, calls on the international community to investigate ISIS’ claim of responsibility for the attack and for the government of Sri Lanka to respond to reports that it failed to act on intelligence it was provided with that warned of such an attack. 

On April 21, Easter Sunday, terrorists targeted churches and hotels in Sri Lanka in a series of attacks which left over 300 dead. On April 23, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks. A number of critics, including Sri Lanka’s highest Roman Catholic prelate, have stated the government did not heed warning signs of terrorist plots to attack churches.  

“IDC calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to provide answers regarding the intelligence it was provided in as transparent a manner as possible. Furthermore, the international community should immediately investigate ISIS’ claim of responsibility for the attacks and mount a proactive and vigilant response plan to the threat that ISIS continues to pose to Christians and other communities,” said IDC President Toufic Baaklini.