Sri Lanka convicts 14 over Easter Sunday massacre

Sri Lanka's High Court handed down convictions on Tuesday for 14 out of the 24 men accused of direct involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that left 279 people dead. The three-judge panel ruled that 14 of the accused were guilty of all charges, which included murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and possession of firearms and explosives under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. A 15th defendant was found guilty of some charges, while the remaining nine were acquitted. Sentencing is set for later on Tuesday.

The men were accused of aiding and abetting the suicide bombers who targeted three luxury hotels and three churches on April 21, 2019, killing 279 individuals, including 45 foreigners. The suspects are all from Sri Lanka's minority Muslim community. One defendant died in custody, reducing the original 25 charged to 24.

The trial holds significant legal importance, as prosecutors filed 23,270 charges, the highest number ever in a single case. The men were prosecuted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Mohamed Naufar, identified as the ringleader who supported the eight-member suicide squad, was among those convicted of all charges.

Three defendants also faced U.S. terrorism-related charges in December 2020. Among the victims were five Americans, including a U.S. Commerce Department employee who was in Colombo on official business. Other nationalities of the deceased included Australians, Bangladeshis, Chinese, Danes, Indians, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, Spaniards, Swedes, Swiss, Turks, and Britons.

The investigation into the attack has revealed allegations of potential state involvement. Former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay is currently in custody, denying accusations that he orchestrated the bombings. Former public security minister Ananda Wijepala claimed investigators believed he collaborated with Islamist extremists before the bombings.

The network allegedly aimed to create chaos and present the Rajapaksa family, who regained power after the attack with Gotabaya Rajapaksa's election as president, as the best choice to restore security. The Rajapaksa family dominated Sri Lankan politics for nearly two decades before its decline.