Suspicion: Sri Lanka attacks were retaliation for Christchurch

Seven suicide attacks in Sri Lanka may have been a response to last month’s mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, Sri Lanka’s Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardene said Tuesday.

Speaking to Parliament, Wijewardene said intelligence has shown that the attacks “were carried out in retaliation for the attack against Muslims in Christchurch.” He also said the death toll had climbed to 321, including 8 foreigners.

According to This Insider, an additional 375 victims are still hospitalized.

One of the terrorists involved had begun posting “extremist content” on social media following the March shootings, which killed 50 people.

According to The Guardian, however, terror experts believe that the attacks were the result of “months” of preparation which would have included both testing the explosives and conditioning the suicide bombers.