A High Court in Colombo has sentenced 15 men to prison terms ranging from 200 to 260 years for their involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. The coordinated attacks, which targeted three churches and three luxury hotels, resulted in 270 deaths and left over 500 people injured. Among those convicted is Naufer Moulavi, identified by prosecutors as the mastermind behind the suicide plot.
The court also mandated the seizure of all assets belonging to the 15 men, who were among 25 individuals indicted for over 23,000 offenses. Nine other defendants were acquitted, while one individual died while in custody. The suicide bombers responsible for the explosions died during the attacks, which were attributed to Islamist extremists from the country's Muslim minority.
The 2019 tragedy remains the deadliest incident in Sri Lanka since the conclusion of the civil war in 2009. The victims included 45 foreign nationals from various countries, including the United Kingdom, India, and the United States, as well as many Sri Lankan families and children. The attacks prompted widespread criticism regarding a "major intelligence lapse," with reports indicating that warnings provided by India were not adequately disseminated to relevant authorities.
Legal proceedings related to the bombings have continued for years. In 2023, the Supreme Court held former President Maithripala Sirisena accountable for security failures, ordering him to pay compensation to victims. Additionally, two former senior officials received death sentences last month for criminal negligence, though such sentences are typically commuted to life imprisonment in Sri Lanka. Currently, authorities are investigating former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay, who faces allegations of orchestrating the attacks to influence national politics—claims he has denied.
Source: BBC News
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