Islamic State has claimed responsibility for coordinated bombings in Sri Lanka which killed 321 people and injured about 500 others.
The extremist group made the claim on Tuesday via its Aamaq news agency, saying: “The perpetrators of the attack that targeted nationals of the countries of the coalitions and Christians in Sri Lanka before yesterday are fighters from the Islamic State.”
It offered no photographs or videos of attackers pledging their loyalty to the group.
The group, which has lost all the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria, has made a series of unsupported claims of responsibility.
Sri Lankan officials have blamed local Islamic extremist groups for the attack.
It comes after a Sri Lankan minister said the bombings were in retaliation to the New Zealand Christchurch mosque attack.
Junior defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene made the comment to politicians in Parliament, without providing evidence or explaining where the information came from.
“This attack was carried out in retaliation for the attack against Muslims in Christchurch,” he said, adding that two domestic Islamist groups were believed to be responsible.
“It was done by National Thawheed Jama’ut along with JMI,” he said, referring to another local group, Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim.
It comes after New Zealand security expert Paul Buchanan said it was unlikely the attacks were carried out in retaliation, telling the New Zealand Herald a month was too little time to prepare for such an attack.
Police have arrested 40 suspects in connection with the Easter attacks, which saw 321 people lose their lives. Eight Britons have been confirmed dead.
On Tuesday Sri Lankan broadcasters showed surveillance footage of a suspected bomber carrying a heavy backpack and walking on the street before heading into the St Sebastian’s Church on Easter Sunday.
The footage showed the man patting a child on the head before entering the building where dozens were killed.
Sri Lanka’s prime minister warned there were more explosives and militants “out there” after the Easter suicide bombings.
Ranil Wickremesinghe made the comment at a news conference, and said some officials are likely to lose their jobs over intelligence lapses surrounding the attack.
Wickremesinghe acknowledged there was a prior warning, and said India’s embassy was eyed as a possible target.