Sri Lankan authorities knew about a training camp for Islamic extremists, and were warned by the Indian government about a potential attack 17 days before it happened, yet failed to act, the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith claims. 

Highlighting a report into the bombings, he said: "The report raises the possibility that they did not want the information to be given [out] because they thought it could create chaos in the country, and an electoral candidate would stand to gain if he promised stability and security for the people."

When Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith was pressed about whether the electoral candidate wass referring to was the current president of Sri Lanka, he said: "One can put A and B together."

The Archbishop was speaking after the publication of an 88-volume report following an inquiry into the attack.

The attacks - which took place on  April 21, 2019 - left 269 people dead and about 500 injured.

He said: "The Presidential Commission report gives the evidence that four such warnings were given by the Indian government to our state intelligence service. 

"But all the same, the Sri Lankan government did not warn the public, they did not warn the Church. 

"Instead, they circulated a private letter among themselves, asking the leaders to be careful, and avoided telling the public about it. 

"Therefore, they knew about the attack that was coming. 

"They knew that some people will be harmed and killed, but they didn't want to prevent it."