Sri Lankan officials say their forces have killed or arrested most of the Islamists linked to the Easter suicide bombings. Police said the father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind were killed when security forces stormed their hide-out on the east coast Friday. In an undated video, the three called for all-out war against non-believers. The Sri Lankan president has announced an emergency law banning face coverings. Marking a week since the attacks killed over 250 people, churches across country suspended Sunday masses due to security concerns. As CGTN's Ravinder Bawa reports, worshippers gathered inside their homes and at candlelight vigils.

"It is a contradiction to kill someone in the name of God."

It is a special sermon being televised across the island nation.

As Catholic churches locked their doors to the public for security reasons, the Archbishop of Colombo is holding a private mass.

At exactly 8.45 am, a special vigil is being held outside the St Anthony's church to remember the dead. Many join in to sing hymns while the hands on the tower clock remain stuck in time.

CARDINAL MALCOLM RANJITH ARCHBISHOP OF COLOMBO "We are sad that why this country was selected for this kind of thing and why the Catholic church. We have an excellent relation with the Muslim community. So we were surprised that we were attacked and our people were attacked."

To maintain peace among communities, messages like these are being displayed in many places in Colombo.

RAVINDER BAWA COLOMBO "On the one hand, the government is taking the help of the religious leaders of various communities to maintain peace and harmony and on the other hand, they have scaled up search operations by deploying more than 10000 security personnel to hunt the perpetrators."

In a major breakthrough, the driver of the mastermind of the explosions has been arrested. Two wanted suspects have also been taken into custody. In various raids, police made a major recovery of arms and other material.  

RUWAN GUNASEKERA POLICE SPOKESPERSON, COLOMBO "CID officers recovered around $30 million worth of 3 blue sapphire stones and more than $10 million worth of foreign and local currencies and around 1.5 million worth of jewelry."

The security agencies also raided the headquarters of Islamist group National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ), believed to have carried out the attacks.  

Ravinder Bawa, CGTN, Colombo.