In brief
In a landmark verdict, Sri Lanka’s High Court handed severe sentences ranging from 200 to 260 years to 15 men charged with orchestrating the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 270 people. An investigation recounts how the perpetrators were caught after an intelligence lapse that thwarted warnings from India. The decision follows earlier rulings that hold former President Maithripala Sirisena and senior officials responsible for security failures. The convictions have reignited calls to probe former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay and the alleged involvement of the Rajapaksa family. Officials noted that persecution of the suspects involved confiscation of their assets and ended the long‑standing quest for justice for the victims and their families.
Sri Lanka’s High Court has convicted 15 men over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombattacks that killed 270 people.
The accused, including chief conspirator Naufer Moulavi, received prison terms ranging from 200 to 260 years, a sentence that effectively condemns them to a lifetime behind bars.
Most of those killed were Sri Lankans – many children – but the attacks also claimed the lives of 45 foreigners, including Indian, British, American and other nationalities.
Investigators linked the blasts to Islamist extremists, a group with 25 men originally indicted; one suspect died in custody. In the courtroom, the 15 accused were handcuffed in pairs and transported on two prison buses.
In related coverage, an Indian tip‑off about the attacks was not fully shared with Sri Lankan authorities, a lapse that officials say may have been a key factor in the tragedy.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena to pay compensation for national security failures; two former senior officials were also sentenced to death, a sentence usually commuted to life imprisonment in Sri Lanka.
Ongoing investigations focus on former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay, accused of orchestrating the bombings with Islamist extremists. Sallay denies the allegations.
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been barred from leaving the country and has requested protection against potential arrests related to the investigations.
Citizens have staged regular demonstrations demanding justice, while the Vatican recently honored the victims as “heroes of faith.”
