Sri Lanka's High Court has convicted 15 men charged with plotting the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attacks. The attacks, which occurred on April 21, 2019, resulted in the deaths of 270 people and injured over 500. The convictions were handed down to individuals accused of masterminding and participating in the coordinated blasts that targeted three churches and three luxury hotels.
Among those found guilty is Naufer Moulavi, who prosecutors said masterminded the suicide bombings. A total of 25 men were indicted for their roles in the attacks, with nine others acquitted. One of the accused died in custody before the trial concluded. The court session was adjourned before sentencing, and the accused were brought to the High Court in Colombo in two prison buses.
The Easter Sunday bombings were the deadliest in Sri Lanka since the end of its civil war in 2009. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 45 foreigners, including citizens of Australia, Bangladesh, China, Denmark, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey. Most of those killed were Sri Lankans, many of whom were children.
The bombings targeted several high-profile locations, including the Shangri-La hotel, where three children of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen died in the attack. Other notable victims included celebrity chef Shantha Mayadunne and her daughter, an entire young family of five, at least eight members of staff from the hotels targeted, and five members of the same family from the western Sri Lankan city of Negombo.
Investigators have previously blamed the bombings on Islamist extremists, and the accused were from Sri Lanka's Muslim minority. The 15 convicted men were charged with more than 23,000 offences related to the attacks. The court proceedings were a significant step towards justice for the victims and their families.
In the aftermath of the attacks, Sri Lankan authorities acknowledged a "major intelligence lapse" and pointed to a failure in sharing information. The country's parliament heard that a tip-off from India about the attacks was not properly shared with the authorities, contributing to the devastating consequences.
The convictions handed down by the High Court bring closure to a painful chapter in Sri Lanka's history. The country continues to grapple with the impact of the attacks, and the convictions serve as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and cooperation in preventing such tragedies.
Key points
- 15 men convicted for roles in 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attacks in Sri Lanka.
- The attacks resulted in the deaths of 270 people, including 45 foreigners.
- The convictions followed a "major intelligence lapse" and failure in sharing information.
