Sat Apr 19 07:11:46 UTC 2025: ## Sri Lanka Church Shooting Reignites Easter Bombing Memories
**Colombo, Sri Lanka –** A gunman opened fire on a church in Manampitiya, Sri Lanka on Friday, causing damage but no injuries. The incident occurred six years after the devastating 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people. Police have arrested a suspect, stating that initial investigations suggest the attack stemmed from a personal dispute with the church pastor.
Despite the apparent lack of a wider terror motive, the shooting has heightened security concerns across the country. Armed police and troops are deployed at churches nationwide for Easter celebrations, a precaution implemented following the 2019 attacks. The Catholic Church will commemorate the victims of the bombings on Monday as “Heroes of the Faith.”
The 2019 attacks, carried out by a home-grown Islamist group, targeted three churches and three hotels, leaving over 500 wounded. The Catholic minority continues to press for justice, alleging that previous investigations failed to fully address the matter and that successive governments shielded those responsible. Links between military intelligence units and the bombers have been identified in several high-level probes. This latest incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing sensitivity surrounding the anniversary of the Easter bombings.
First Piper 