Sri Lanka convicts 14 over Easter Sunday massacre

Sri Lanka's High Court convicted 14 men out of 24 accused in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which claimed 279 lives. The 3-judge panel found the 14 guilty on all charges, including murder, conspiracy, and possessing weapons under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. A 15th defendant was guilty of some charges, while the remaining nine were acquitted.

The verdict will be followed by sentencing later on Tuesday. Dozens of police commandos secured the courtroom as the verdicts were announced. The 24 men were accused of aiding and abetting the suicide bombers who targeted three luxury hotels and three churches on April 21, 2019. Some defendants could face the death penalty, though Sri Lanka hasn't carried out an execution since 1976; most often, capital punishment results in life imprisonment.

Sri Lanka's Roman Catholic Church celebrated the convictions, calling it justice after a lengthy process. A survivor, Teresa Fernando, acknowledged the pain endured but accepted the court's decision. All accused are from Sri Lanka's Muslim minority community. Twenty-five were initially charged, but one died in custody. Officials suspect a homegrown Islamist extremist group.

The trial holds legal significance as it is the first criminal prosecution directly linked to the bombings, with prosecutors filing 23,270 charges, the highest in a single case. Mohamed Naufar, identified as the ringleader, was among those convicted on all charges. US authorities also charged three defendants with terrorism-related offenses in December 2020.

Victims included five Americans, citizens from 12 other countries, and a US Commerce Department employee on official business. The trial unfolded amid a sensitive investigation into potential state involvement in the attacks. Former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay, accused of orchestrating the bombings, denies the allegations. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala suggested Sallay had worked with Islamist extremists, but supporters of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa deny any state involvement.