Sri Lanka churches cancel all Sunday masses after bombing

Colombo - According to a leaked security document, Catholic churches and other denominations are seen as a major target for attackers.

Catholic churches in Sri Lanka canceled all Sunday Masses until further notice over concerns that they remain a top target of Daesh-linked extremists, even as authorities said Friday a suspected local leader blew himself up in the Easter suicide bombings. 
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith told journalists that church officials had seen a leaked security document describing Catholic churches and other denominations as a major target for attackers. Ranjith, who is archbishop of Colombo, also asked the worshippers to stay home for their own safety.
"We don't want repetitions," Ranjith said.
The cardinal's comments come after the US Embassy in Sri Lanka warned the public to stay away from places of worship over the weekend, a stark alert underlining that authorities believe that members of the group remain at large.
The group's leader, Mohamed Zahran, killed himself in a suicide bombing at the Shangri-La hotel, one of six hotels and churches targeted in the attacks that killed at least 250 people on Sunday, police said Friday.
Police also said they had arrested the second-in-command of the group, called National Towheed Jamaat.
Across Colombo, there was a visible increase of security as authorities warned of possible new attacks and pursued suspects who could have access to explosives. Authorities told Muslims to pray at home rather than attend communal Friday prayers that are the most important religious service of the week. Several mosques held services despite the warning. At one mosque in Colombo, police stood guard outside.
Australia's prime minister said Friday that it had been confirmed that the Sri Lanka attackers were supported by Daesh, which has claimed responsibility for the massacre. 
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena told reporters in Colombo that about 140 people in the island nation had been identified as having links to Daesh, and that the Sri Lankan government has the capability "to completely control" Daesh activities in the country.
"We will completely control this and create a free and peaceful environment for people to live," he said. 
Late on Thursday, Sri Lanka's health ministry drastically revised down its estimated death toll from the coordinated attacks. A statement said "approximately" 253 people had died, nearly one-third lower than the police's earlier estimated death toll of 359.