A string of eight powerful blasts, including suicide attacks, ripped churches and luxury hotels frequented by foreigners in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. The deadly blasts claimed lives of nearly 290 people, and shattering a decade of peace in the island nation since the end of the civil war with the LTTE.
A little while ago, Sri Lanka's National Security Councilannounced plans to impose a "conditional state of Emergency" from midnight.
A press release from the President's media unit referred to articles on combating terrorism as the basis for the action. It said the measures would target terrorism and would not limit freedom of expression, reported news agency IANS.
"The government has decided to gazette the sections dealing with prevention of terrorism under emergency regulations from midnight today," statement from the president's media cell said.
Following Sunday's attack, the island nation had imposed a mid time curfew with immediate effect.
A local outfit identified as the National Tawheed Jamath is suspected of plotting the explosions. Health Minister quoted by news agency PTI and the government spokesman, Rajitha Senaratne, also said that all suicide bombers involved in the blasts are believed to be Sri Lankan nationals.
According to a Reuters report, Sri Lanka police have found 87 bomb detonators at Colombo's main bus stand.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but police have so far arrested 24 people.