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FIFTEEN PEOPLE, INCLUDING six children, have died during a raid by Sri Lankan security forces, police have said.
The deaths came as three cornered suicide bombers blew themselves up and others were shot.
The three men set off explosives inside what was believed to be an Islamist safe house near the eastern town of Kalmunai, which is 370 kilometres from the capital, last night. This killed three women and six children inside.
“Three other men, also believed to be suicide bombers, were found dead outside the house,” police said in a statement.
Police, backed by troops, exchanged fire with those inside the house for over an house, according to a military official.
The bodies were recovered early this morning following a search operation.
Gunmen opened fire on on troops when they attempted to storm the house under cover of darkness, a military spokesman said, adding that a civilian had got caught in the crossfire and died.
The joint operation was carried out following a tip off that those responsible for the Easter suicide bombings were holed up in a built up area of Kalmunai.
There were no casualties among the security forces, the police said.
The clashes came hours after the security forces raided a nearby location where they believe Islamist radicals recorded a video pledge to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before carrying out the deadly Easter bombings, which killed 253 people.
Police found an IS flag and uniforms similar to those worn by the eight fighters for the video before they launched Sunday’s attacks.
“We have found the backdrop the group used to record their video,” the police said in an earlier statement on Friday night.
The Islamic State group had released the video two days after the attack.
Police showed the clothing and the flag on national television, as well as some 150 sticks of dynamite and about 100,000 ball bearings seized from the house.
Includes reporting by - © AFP 2019
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Her private jet? So she speaks about climate change and the need to protect the climate and she’s flying around in a private jet. Do as I say not as I do
@Ger Whelan: YAWN
@Anthony Burke: You tired Anthony?
More populist SH 1 T coming from this man.
You’d think as a Leader of this country he’d have better things to be at,another Varadkar
@Stephen Brennan: Does your Mammy let you have a phone?
@martin lawlor:
Another one desperately trying to turn every topic no matter how harmless into an anti government rant.
Give up.
As the recent election shows you are more likely to harm the opposition with your pettyness than the government.
@P. J.: Pettiness???You’re obviously living in a bubble.I see by You’re comment you’ve assumed I’m anti government,Would I be far right???
Another woke clown
@martin lawlor: I think you need a day off from the moaning
@martin lawlor: There is no government politician can match SF for populism.
@martin lawlor: probably took him about 60 seconds to say all that. I suppose you can burn down a good few asylum seeker houses in 60 seconds.
@Mick Duvanny: Far from moaning just sick of listening to SH 1 T
@M To The B: Ah here,I give up.
Another one who’s making assumptions of anyone who criticises the Leader of the country as far right,racist, lay about etc.
@martin lawlor: Get a life. It’s nice to see a bit of humour. Nothing like Leo the Leak
@Patrick MC Dermott: Gob SH 1T
@martin lawlor: What have you ever done except leave snarky and depressing messages online. Take your useless hate elsewhere.
@martin lawlor: your* for the second you’re.
@martin lawlor: stop listening to yourself so
@martin lawlor: God you’re boring the $h.1.te outta me!
@Mick Duvanny: Don’t waste your breath or your typing fingers. Once a Moaner, always a Moaner. Sadly, there’s more than one in every paridh
She is a 4 at best, a stag night girl. Pump and dump
Stop pretending to have a personality, Simon.
This is a real case of The Harris spin doctors seeing how they can make him appeal and look like he has something in common with the electorate . However there is a PR company and spin doctors who are being paid handsomely with our tax to publicise this spin.
Unfortunately people fall for this .
The opposition will be caugh napping if the don’t do likewise
@BL Music: no shortage of them in Spin Fein
@BL Music: The electorate? I’d say most Swifties are too young to vote
@BL Music: christ, the electorate has had to listen to Mary Lou for the past 7 or 8 years spouting populist garbage. Have you been asleep?
@BL Music: of course it is, did you come down in the last shower? That’s what half of being a politician is, trying to get into every darn photo op or publicity stunt going to keep the face in the sights of the voters. The opposition and independents do this too. Those that don’t get sort of forgotten about…. They wouldn’t do spin if it didn’t yield results.
“my pebble”…ok you’re the Taoiseach atm but you don’t actually ‘own’ the country…
More importantly, those with serious convictions should not only be banned from the Defence Forces but from the Dail too.
I once met a shy pebble,she wished she was a little boulder.
What an absolute a hole of a taoiseach, trying to be hip and cool.
Unbelievable bollix
@den: YAWN
@Anthony Burke: you defo need some sleep there young man, you probably stayed up too late last night being offended by everything
@orb7eckn: It doesn’t seem like he’s offended at all.
She took a pebble and you gave away the country.
Wonder what her carbon footprint is? Who needs a private jet ffs.
Emissions from private jets in terms of CO2 and NOx are multiple times that of commercial aircraft, not that a moneymaking machine like Taylor Swift would care one whit. As for her musical ( if that’s not a misnomer!) output, it is woefully bland, banal, shallow, and formulaic. It sounds AI- generated. But I suppose if it keeps the gullible masses happy, so be it. Panem et circenses ( bread and circuses), as the Romans only knew too well, appeases the plebeians!!!
I doubt she reads to journal.
Think this message would have been better sent through twitter if she doesnt have him blocked.
@Padraic O’ Sullivan: I don’t think this is a Journal exclusive
U2s hometown is Amsterdam i thought?
@bruce banner: Anywhere they can dodge the Revenue Commissioners will do.
Well said him! (before the knockers arrive).
@Hotirish: You can’t call her that.
@Hotirish: is that what our Irish minority group is called in D4? ;
@Jack Hayes: Because Dolly Parton already took that name!
Something a little different from the other comments ,not a fan myself ,but if you are going have a fantastic time .Now..see, not a mention of any TDs etc…can be done .
It’d be gas if someone gave Enoch Burke a spare ticket for the show now that he’s out.
@Benny Colreavy: out in out or out in gay out??
Does his wife know that he wants to pick his bone with TayTay?
Home town !!! When it suits them.
Jesus I had a ticket in the glove box and I forgot all about it……
Who cares. Talentless
can nobody in this country have a little bit light harted fun without being criticized anymore, I’m no fan of this government but give him a break. all he was doing was having a joke about the biggest pop star in the world who by the way is creating a lot custom for the small business around dublin, i know the hotels are robbing people this weekend but the likes of the small shops and pubs will do well so grow up ya clowns who criticize everyone
€1400 a second she’ll make…handy bobs if you can get them
Spit on me Taylor…
@James Carolan: Where’s your Taylor? Doesn’t quite have the same ring as “spit on me Dickie”
Bring back the days of Sean Lemass! A proper leader
@Johnno Reilly: Yeah, and Elvis too.
Dear Swifties,
As a Non-Touring Independent Artist, it’s difficult to grow a fan base.
If you would like to help, please use
the link below and click the FOLLOW BUTTON and then click the follow button on my Spotify page.
Very much appreciated,
Thank you
Patrick
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/patrickwestman/all-my-colours-fade-to-blue
@Patrick Presley: any relation to a man called Elvis ?
@Jb Walshe: Some people have Suspicious Minds
I couldn’t give a fiddler’s fart about Swift, or Harris.
But I do give a toss about the Environment.
And, in fairness, the Gards and the loss of bodies to rural Ireland (if a fraction of rural and/or non-Dublin-based Gards have been peeled-off of Rural Ireland to serve in Dublin this weekend).
Just like the anti-immigration “protests” criminal mis-direct, the condensing of Gards into 1 area/withdrawal of Gards from another area, will be yet another generous gift to the various street-level operations for OCGs.
As for the “Private Plane” emissions complaint that both fans, and non-fans alike, seem to have against Swift’s use of a Private Plane vs Chartered – where is the evidence? I would just love to see proof that 2 Boeing aircrafts, of the exact same model, somehow have drastically different carbon emissions.
How so?
Please, do explain people.
Because I suspect the intention is to moan about the *individual human being’s* carbon footprint.
Rather than actually doing extensive research and maths on comparative luggage requirements, any potential incorporation of performance-related equipment into her aircraft’s cargo hold, and any possibility or potential that some headcount of staff might actually be boarded on her “private” plane.
That probably, her cargo hold carries the entire logistical and engineering makeup of her performance.
Because, let’s face it, no performer, doing such a number of gigs, at such frequency, across so many locations, could be reasonably expected to trust a *series of* Chartered Flights with public aircrafts and airlines who routinely lose and/or have delayed delivery of everything from tiny generic luggage to entire lumps of furniture and giant pieces of art/sculpture.
Why, on earth, would anyone expect any such performer to not simplify and streamline their logistics by configuring their entire show into their *own* aircraft!?
That said.
They could have logistically planned to book-out a Ferry to move the show from Britain to Ireland.
Then Ferry back to Britain, transfer across to mainland Europe and switch to a series of *train carriages* (or a whole train) for the European leg of the tour.
Then do similar on each Continent.
Once the Private Aircraft lands on each continent – switch to a Private Train (with the goal being: Trains are already partly powered by Renewables….and will, hopefully, soon be fully powered by Renewable Energy).
@Pink Freud: Who Cares Jeronimo.
@Pink Freud: Take your meds. Did you miss a dose today?
She is a young beautiful talented woman. Like her or not, she brings on a show !
@Nathalie Bellamy: she’s 34 which ain’t that young, she’s very average looking. How ever she’s very talented……at making money.ill give you that.
What a load of tripe sitting here watching the amazing Dua Lipa in Glastonbury now that’s talent and hard work .
@Karen Marten: watched it myself and to be honest i didn’t think she was that good, to much miming and not enough live singing
@Nikki Swift: you think plastic swift mimes much ???
@Karen Marten: I’d say she does but thats not my point, if i was paying alot of money to go to a gig I’d like the artist to sing live
@Nikki Swift: how many artists do you know that actually sing. EVERY SONG LIVE for a 2hr gig . Hmm I was watching Glastonbury last night I saw her sing and the lines she didn’t sing her backing vocals did . She has more talent than that fake cupcake
Whats it the equivalent off ?
Cause I just can’t get my head round all the hype.
And don’t say Beatle Mania !
The people getting triggered by Simon Harris are delicate snowflakes with very little control over their emotions.
Jumpin Jesopath, nipple blockers.
She should burn anything to do with that BoBo fella who has gone to ground over his Gaza carry on..
Meanwhile SHEEP the government just undemocraticly pushed through the migration pact. WAKE THE F@CK UP
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