Colombo to lift 'state of emergency' by Aug: SL Minister

The state of emergency imposed in Colombo after the April 21 Easter blasts that killed 290 people will be lifted later this month, Sri Lankan Minister John Amaratunga said here on Wednesday.

"Our security forces, police, intelligence were able to apprehend and catch all those terrorists (involved in the attack). They were taken into custody and now they are being produced before the court of law," the minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs said.

"The emergency will be lifted by end of this month. Most of the investigations are over," he said.

The minister was talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

The decision to enforce a state of emergency was taken during a meeting of the National Security Council chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena in April.