Alwaght- Sri Lankan police have arrested 40 people, in connection with deadly attacks on churches and luxury hotels on Sunday.
All of the individuals arrested are Sri Lankan, including a driver of a van used in one of the suicide bombings. The death toll from the spate of attacks has climbed to 310, police reported. About 500 others have been injured. The Sri Lankan tourism minister, John Amaratunga, said that at least 39 foreigners were among the dead. Those countries that have confirmed their citizens were killed include Australia, Britain, China, Japan, Portugal and the United States.
In the wake of the assaults, the government has declared a state of emergency and launched a hunt for the attackers, believed to be members of a radical group called National Thowfeek Jamaath.
More explosions rocked parts of the country on Monday, and while no new casualties were reported, the blasts racked already strained nerves.