A major and extraordinary failure of intelligence appears to have preceded the murderous terrorist suicide bombings claiming at least 290 lives in Sri Lanka, with the country’s government announcing an investigation amid recriminations between ministers and security officials about an apparent failure to act on vital information.

Warnings of impending multiple attacks, stating that a number of churches as well as the Indian High Commission in Colombo would be targeted, were said to have been received by Sri Lankan officials from a foreign intelligence service.

The authorities in Colombo have not named the foreign source, but two security officials claim that at least some of the information had come from the Indian foreign intelligence service RAW (Research and Analysis Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat) through agents infiltrated into Islamist groups.

The officials stressed that other foreign services may also have provided intelligence about the bombings.

Cabinet spokesman and health minister Rajitha Senaratne said the Islamist group National Thowheed Jamath had carried out the attacks.

Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Show all 38 1 /38 Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan Special Task Force officers raid a house following an explosion in capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A blood-spattered statue of Jesus Christ while crime scene officials inspect the site of a bomb blast, as the sun shines through the blown-out roof, inside St Sebastian's Church in Negombo Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A police officer inspects the damage after a bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan soldiers look on inside the St Sebastian's Church at Katuwapitiya in Negombo following a bomb blast during the Easter service AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman cries next to a coffin of a bomb blast victim. A series of eight devastating bomb blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on April 21, killing more than 300 people AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath People who live near the church that was attacked the day before, leave their houses as the military try to defuse a suspected van before it exploded in Colombo Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Shoes and belongings of victims are collected as evidence at St Sebastian's Church AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan police were forded to clear an area while Special Task Force Bomb Squad officers inspected the site of an exploded van near a church the day after it was attacked Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka following a bombing AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Queues at the National Blood Bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka after a request for blood to aid in recovery efforts Mr Lavasquabble/Twitter Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Medical response team work to remove dead bodies from the scene of bombings in Sri Lankan capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan security personnel inspect the debris of a car after it exploded when police tried to defuse a bomb AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security personnel work at the scene of a bombing at a church in Batticaloa in Sri Lanka AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman is helped near St Anthony's Shrine after a blast in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019. At least 130 people were killed and more than 500 hospitalised after near-simultaneous explosions hit three hotels and three churches on Easter Sunday. AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan police officers clear the road as an ambulance drives through carrying injured of church blasts in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan soldier stands guard near a car explosion AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman prays at St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Priests stand inside St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade church on the outskirts of Colombo after a bombing Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan woman living near St. Anthony's shrine runs for safety with her infant after police found explosive devices in a parked vehicle in Colombo AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath People react during a mass for victims, two days after a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security personal react as a device was detonated in a controled explosion in a van near the St Anthony's Church EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security forces inspect the scene of a bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The Kingsbury hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka after a bombing attack Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The damaged interior of a church in Negombo, Sri Lanka following a bombing attack Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Police and security personnel stand guard outside the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo following a bombing attack EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Debris is seen at St Anthony's Church in this still image from video footage after explosions hit churches and hotels in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 21 April 2019 Derana TV/via Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Damage inside a church following a bombing attack AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan Special Task Force officer scales a house during a raid following an explosion in capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A general interior view showing damage after an explosion hit St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade, Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019 EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Priests walk into St Anthony's Shrine Kochchikade church after an explosion in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 21 April 2019 Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan police officer stands outside St Anthony's Shrine in Colombo, Sri Lanka, after a blast on Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A shoe of a victim is seen in front of the St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade Church Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Local and security officials gather at the scene at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade, Colombo, Sri Lanka EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath An ambulance is seen outside the church premises with gathered security personnel following a blast at St Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, Colombo, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Armed policemen patrol the area after an explosion hit at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 April 2019 EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan Army soldiers secure the area around St. Anthony's Shrine after a blast in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan security personnel keep watch outside the church premises following a blast at the St Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, Colombo, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Police officers inspect the scene after an explosion hit at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 April 2019 EPA

An internal Sri Lanka police document produced 11 days ago, which The Independent has seen, also notes threats of an attack from a group which it calls “Nations Thawahid Jaman”, seemingly referring to the same group named on Monday.

The group, which has desecrated Buddhist statues and shrines, is connected, according to security sources, to Tamil Nadu Thawheed Jamath, an extremist group based in southern India.

Senaratne also stated that the attacks had international links. The police had initially held that “local men” were the perpetrators. Isis has celebrated the Easter massacre, but has not claimed credit for the killings.

As the death toll from the suicide bombings continued to mount, the bitter internal political divisions in the country were being openly laid bare with allegations that infighting for power may have contributed to the warnings being suppressed or ignored.

Senaratne claimed on Monday that information had been available about the attacks as early as 4 April but was not passed on to the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He went on to say: “On 9 April, the chief of national intelligence wrote a letter and in this letter many of the names of the members of the terrorist organisation were written down. The prime minister was not informed by these letters and revelations.

“We are not trying to evade responsibility but these are the facts. We were surprised to see these reports. We do not believe these attacks were carried out by a group of people who were confined to this country. There was an international network without which these attacks could not have succeeded.”

The cabinet spokesman added: “This is the only country where, when the prime minister summons the security council, they don’t assemble.”

The president, Maithripala Sirisena, who has the portfolio of defence and heads the security council, had attempted to sack the prime minister six months ago, triggering a prolonged constitutional crisis.

Wickremesinghe had confirmed that there was information about possible attacks but he had not been informed about it. Harin Fernando, the minister for telecommunications, tweeted: “Some intelligence officers were aware of this incidence. Therefore there was a delay in action. Serious action needs to be taken as to why this warning was ignored.”

And Mano Ganeshan, the minister for national integration, said that security officers within his ministry had been warned that suicide bombers would target politicians.

The terrorist threat was the subject of a memorandum on 11 April sent by Priyalal Dissanayake, the deputy inspector general of police. The document was addressed to: director, ministerial security division; director, judicial security division; director, retired presidents security division; acting director, diplomatic security division; and acting director, retired presidents security division.

Video shows moment van explodes in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Questions are bound to be raised as to why urgent security measures were apparently not taken and the prime minister and senior members of his cabinet were not kept informed despite the memorandum being widely disseminated among senior officers.

The document states: “We would like to draw your special attention to the page no 2 to 4 of the statement of the State Intelligence Service stating that information has been received regarding an alleged plan of suicidal attack by the leader of ‘Nations Thawahid Jaman’ Mohomod Saharan.

“According to information of that statement would like you to give special attention and inform your staff to provide special security measures to the areas covered by your division.”

Twenty-four people have been arrested so far, say Sri Lankan police, for the attacks which included suicide bombings at churches and hotels in Colombo.

There are no known close links between National Thowheed Jamath and Isis; however, around 35 Sri Lankans are said to have joined Isis and fought in Syria.