In the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks in Colombo and Batticaloa, misinformation originated in Sri Lanka has been spreading through media and social media suggesting that Canada has waived all visa requirements for Sri Lankans to enter Canada. Please note, no such exemptions have been made yet. As the Canadian government continues to monitor the situation on the ground, all visa requirements for Sri Lankan Citizens still remain in place. Anyone planning to travel to Canada will need to apply for the appropriate visas and meet all requirements as per usual. It remains crucial that victims of the attacks or others wishing to travel to Canada are not further victimized by misinformation.

Head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Brigadier Chula Kodituwakku said today the suspected mastermind behind the Easter Sunday suicide attacks, Zahran Hashim was one of the two suicide bombers who exploded themselves at the Shangri-la hotel. Briefing the media at the President’s House on the investigation into extremist Muslim organizations operating in the country, he said they had done an analysis of photos and CCTV footage and found that the two suicide bombers at Shangri La Hotel were Zahran and Ilham.

Addressing the heads of media institutions, President Maithripala Sirisena said that the IGP Pujith Jayasundara will resign today. He reiterated that both the IGP and the outgoing Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando didn’t fulfil their responsibilities. He said the government should take the responsibility for the unfortunate terror attacks and for weakening the intelligence services.

The Constitutional Council (CC) has unanimously approved the nomination of Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya as the next Chief Justice, parliamentary sources said.

Former Northern Provincial Council Minister Anandi Shashidharan has urged that security must be tightened in the Northern Province while also ensuring that security personnel are not removed from the area. The former Provincial Minister of Women Affairs and Rehabilitation said that despite previously calling for the removal of the Army from the North, such personnel along with the Police are required for security due to the current situation of the country.

Hundreds of Dutch tourists will be flown home in the coming days from Sri Lanka in the wake of the Easter bombings, according to the guarantee scheme governing Dutch tour operators, the AFP news service reported. Following the attacks, which killed 253 people, around 500 Dutch visitors who remain in Sri Lanka will be flown home “within days,” the director of the Calamiteitenfonds group said Friday.

Police yesterday released Industry & Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s brother after recording a statement from him last night, police said. Meanwhile, Army said Bathiudeen’s brother was taken into army custody last night and handed over to police for further inquires.

The CID today released photographs of the suspects wanted in connection with Easter Sunday's bomb attacks. Police are seeking public assistance to trace them. They have released the names of three males - Mohammad Ivuhaim Sadiq Abdul Haq, Mohammed Ivuhaim Shaid Abdul Haq, Mohammed Casim Mohammed Rilwan and three those of three women - Fatima Latif, Pulasthini Rajendran alias Sarah, Abdul Cader Fatima Kadir. The Police request the people to inform the CID on Nos: 071-8591771, 011-2422176 or 011-2395605, if they had information on the suspects.

Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando has tendered his resignation to President Maithripala Sirisena today, sources said. Earlier, the President called for the resignation of the defence secretary and IGP Pujith Jayasundara.

The police curfew will be re-imposed for the fifth day across the island from 10.00 pm to 4.00 am tomorrow, the police said.

Four labourers attached to the Vavuniya Urban Council died after they fell into a cesspit while working at a cattle barn in Vavuniya today, police said.

The United States is assisting Sri Lanka in forensics and crime scene investigations following the Easter Sunday attacks. The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz called for unity in the wake of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that killed at least 359 innocent people, including four U.S. citizens. Noting the progress Sri Lanka has made in building trust and ties among people of different faiths and ethnicities over the last few years, she urged Sri Lankans to remain unified.

Only air passengers are allowed to enter the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) terminal building due to the current situation, the Airport and Aviation Services limited said.

President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have informed Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara to resign from their offices, sources said. They said the President has conveyed this to the two officials this morning. It was also reported that the Defence Secretary has met with the President a short while ago at the presidential secretariat.

One of the nine bombers that detonated explosives on Easter Sunday was a woman, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene has said on Wednesday. Straits Times said the state minister’s comment came after police confirmed that nine suicide bombers were involved in the blasts and eight have been identified. It has been revealed that one of the suicide bombers had studied in Britain and Australia, it said.

The Special Task Force (STF) personnel carried out a controlled explosion to open up the seat of a suspicious motorbike near the Savoy Cinema at Wellawatta this morning, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said. The STF personnel had first inspected the bike and had decided to blow open the seat having failed to open it in the first place. However, the spokesman said no explosives were found inside the bike.

The Special Task Force (STF) personnel carried out another controlled explosion of a suspicious motorbike which had been left unattended at Gas Works Street in Pettah, police said. The suspicious motorbike was discovered by the Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel based on information received. No explosives were found inside the bike.

MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe today wrote to President Maithripala Sirisena and requested him to immediately arrest Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujitha Jayasundara. In his letter, the MP said both officials have committed a crime under the Penal Code by not taking precautions to prevent the Easter Sunday terror attacks though they were aware of such an attack.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US intelligence and law enforcement agency, will be assisting Sri Lanka in the investigations into the Easter Day bomb attacks on churches and hotels that killed 359 people. A spokesperson of the US Embassy in Colombo has confirmed to local media that the FBI will be providing technical assistance to the Sri Lankan police investigating the attacks.

Geneva: At least 45 children were among the more than 320 people killed in suicide bomb attacks in Sri Lanka, the United Nations said Tuesday. "The total now is 45 children who died," UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac told reporters in Geneva.

The death toll from the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka has soared to 328, State Minister for Defense Ruwan Wijewardene told Parliament today More than five hundred people were injured from the attacks were admitted to several National hospitals. Security Clampdown as Emergency Regulations Invoked The individuals who sustained minor injuries were given outpatient treatment and released.

A source from Temple Trees confirmed the existence of two explosives-laden vehicles possibly roaming the streets of Colombo. According to a letter signed by OIC Kamal Senanayake to the Chief of Security at the Colombo Harbour, state intelligence has uncovered the existence of a lorry/truck and a small van laden with explosives and covered in aluminium which have entered the Colombo city limits.

Islamic state has claimed responsibility for coordinated bombings in Sri Lanka which killed 321 people and injured about 500 others, the group's AMAQ news agency said on Tuesday. The group did not give evidence for its claim. (Reuters)

The police curfew will be imposed for the third day across the island from 9.00 pm to 4.00 am tomorrow, the police said.

Making a special statement in parliament, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe a short while ago said the government would eradicate terrorism with the assistance offered by the international community. He said this in a special statement he made in Parliament and added that the country had been offered assistance by many countries and international organisations including the United Nations to combat terrorism.

President Maithripala Sirisena this morning visited St Sebestian’s Church in Katuwapitiya where at least 62 people died in the bomb attack on Easter Sunday. He condoled with the Parish Priest Rev Shrilal Fonseka and also inquired after the reconstruction of the Church which is badly damaged.

Emergency Regulations pertaining to the suppression of terrorism will be brought into force at midnight tonight, a press release from the Presidential Secretariat said. The release added that the purpose was to give necessary powers to the Armed Forces and police to deal with terrorism. “It was decided that no effort will be spared to eradicate the organisations and persons who aided and abetted these acts of terror,” the release added.

An improvised explosive device was detected inside a van near the St. Anthony’s Church, Jampettah Road, Kochchikade, and was disposed in controlled explosion at the site by the Bomb Disposal Unit a short while ago, reporters said. The van is reportedly on fire.