Colombo: A Sri Lankan magistrate ordered the detention of the country's suspended police chief and its former defense secretary on Wednesday, a day after they were arrested for alleged negligence leading to Easter Sunday bombings that killed more than 250 people at churches and hotels. Colombo chief magistrate Lanka Jayaratna ordered the two held until July 9.

Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and police chief Pujith Jayasundara were arrested on Tuesday at hospitals where they had been admitted. Both are still in the hospitals under the supervision of prison officials. Local media reported that Fernando had suffered chest pains. There was no information about Jayasundara's health status. Access to them has been restricted. After the April 21 suicide attacks, the government acknowledged it had received intelligence reports about the plot beforehand but failed to act on them. Fernando resigned after the blasts and Jayasundara was suspended. On Monday, prosecutors asked police to explain why they had not arrested the two former officials despite being instructed to do so.