Sri Lanka Convicts 15 Men Over 2019 Easter Sunday Bombings That Killed 270
Sri Lanka’s High Court has convicted 15 men over their alleged involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 270 people and injured more than 500 others.
Among those found guilty is Naufer Moulavi, whom prosecutors identified as the alleged mastermind behind the coordinated suicide attacks. Nine other defendants were acquitted, while the court adjourned proceedings before announcing sentences.
The attacks on 21 April 2019 targeted three churches and three luxury hotels across Sri Lanka. They were the country’s deadliest attacks since the end of its civil war in 2009, with 45 foreigners among those killed.
All the suicide bombers died in the explosions. Investigators have linked the attacks to Islamist extremists, while the 25 men originally indicted in the case were from Sri Lanka’s Muslim minority. One of the accused later died in custody.
The defendants faced more than 23,000 charges and were brought to the High Court in Colombo in handcuffs, travelling in two prison buses. Many of the victims were Sri Lankan citizens, including children, hotel workers and members of several families.
The foreign victims included 11 Indians, eight Britons and five Americans, alongside citizens of several other countries. Three children of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen were also killed in the attack while the family was staying at the Shangri-La hotel.
The bombings also triggered scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s security agencies. Authorities acknowledged a major intelligence failure after warnings about a possible attack, including information reportedly passed from India, were not properly acted upon. In 2023, the Supreme Court ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena to pay compensation to victims after finding him responsible for national security failures linked to the attacks.
The latest convictions come as another investigation examines allegations involving former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay. He has been accused of helping orchestrate the attacks with Islamist extremists, allegations he denies. Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has also denied allegations linked to the case, while Sri Lankans continue to hold demonstrations demanding accountability for the Easter Sunday attacks.