Sri Lanka explosions: Scale of attacks suggests sophisticated planning, training

The blasts in Sri Lanka come amid an undercurrent of religious tensions in some parts and point to a fresh outbreak of extremism in the island nation, said security analysts.

Last year, there were 86 documented incidents of threats, discrimination and violence against Christians, according to the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, a group representing churches and Christian organisations. These included arson attacks, threats against members of the community, including pastors, and, in one instance, denial of burial to a Christian in a public cemetery. Groups belonging to the majority Buddhist Sinhala community were reported to be behind the attacks.