TechCrunch reports that Sri Lankan authorities have shut down most social media in that country in an effort to prevent the spread of inflammatory rumor or disinformation. The restrictions follow a series of apparently coordinated suicide bombings that killed Christians at worship in Batticaloa, Colombo, and Negombo, and others, including guests staying at tourist hotels, at five other sites in Colombo. Police have arrested twenty-four, but no group has claimed responsibility.
Agence France Presse observes that Sri Lankan security authorities issued an alert over a week ago warning police that chatter collected from various intelligence sources, suggested the likelihood of jihadist attacks by "Nations Thawahid Jaman" during the Christian Holy Week. It remains unclear whether that group organized the bombings. Reuters quotes experts who see ISIS or al Qaeda in the attack's methods. Sri Lankan Defense Minister Wijewardene attributed the massacres to followers of "religious extremism." CNN says almost three hundred are dead; about five hundred are wounded.
The Times reported Saturday that the CIA shared intelligence with Five Eyes partners establishing Huawei's significant funding by Chinese security services. The Times treats this as significant, which suggests their sources see investment amounting to control, not simply purchase of goods and services. (More significant than what the Washington Post notes in an unrelated editorial about Microsoft's AI research cooperation with a Chinese military university.)
Marcus Hutchins, sometime hero of WannaCry's kill-switch, pleaded guilty to US Federal charges involving making and selling malware for "surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communication."