New York, April 23 (IANS) Those responsible for the Easter Sunday bloodbath in Sri Lanka should be brought to justice, Human Rights Watch has said.

Nearly 300 people were killed and more than 500 injured in coordinated suicide bombing attacks on churches and hotels in three cities. Many of the injured remain in critical condition.

"Our hearts go out to all those harmed by these horrific attacks, which only adds to the suffering long endured by so many in Sri Lanka," said Human Rights Watch.

"Striking packed Easter services and hotels could only have been aimed to maximize killing and maiming people, including children."

Sri Lankan authorities have announced they had arrested 24 people and said the National Thowheed Jamath, a little-known Islamist organization, was responsible for the attacks. It had previously been implicated in vandalizing Buddhist statues.

The bombings were the worst violence since Sri Lanka's three-decade long civil war ended in May 2009.

--IANS mr/pg