Sri Lanka court convicts 15 over deadly 2019 Easter bombings

Sri Lanka's High Court imposed 220-year jail terms on 15 men convicted of their role in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which claimed 279 lives. The three-judge bench found 14 of the accused guilty on all counts, including murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and possession of firearms and explosives under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The 15th defendant was guilty of some charges, but all received the maximum sentence. Nine others were acquitted. The court ordered the seizure of all the convicts' assets. The men are accused of aiding and abetting the suicide bombers who targeted three luxury hotels and three churches on April 21, 2019. This was the deadliest civilian terror attack in the country's history.

The trial concluded a five-year legal process. Local media had speculated that the convicts could face the death penalty, but capital punishment has not been carried out in Sri Lanka since 1976. The Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka welcomed the convictions, which came after the five-year trial. Survivors, including Teresa Fernando, expressed gratitude for the justice they received. The trial marked the first criminal prosecution directly linked to the coordinated bombings.