Sri Lankan court convicts 15 men over roles in deadly 2019 Easter bombings

A Sri Lankan court is preparing to deliver its verdict on Naufer Moulavi, the alleged mastermind behind the deadly Easter bombings that occurred in 2019, in which 270 people lost their lives and over 500 were injured. This verdict will be joined by that of 23 others who were found guilty of planning and executing the coordinated suicide bombings. The attacks targeted several locations, including churches and three luxury hotels, marking the deadliest incident Sri Lanka had faced since the end of its civil war in 2009.

Among the charges against nine suicide bombers' associates and relatives are murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and possession of firearms, totaling over 23,000 counts. The prosecution presented a confession from Moulavi, claiming he admitted his involvement, which the court accepted. Nevertheless, Moulavi later disputed the allegations in court, stating he was not shown the document he allegedly signed.

Over 2,300 witnesses testified for the prosecution, and there were 2,076 pieces of evidence, including explosive materials, weapons, and swords. The attack's aftermath revealed a significant intelligence failure, with Indian authorities failing to share vital information with Sri Lankan authorities. In 2023, former President Maithripala Sirisena was ordered by the Supreme Court to compensate the victims' families for the national security blunders that resulted in the attacks.

Two former senior officials were sentenced to death in March for criminal negligence related to the bombings, a sentence typically commuted to life in prison in Sri Lanka due to a long-standing moratorium on executions.

The verdict on Moulavi and others comes as a separate investigation into former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay unfolds. Sallay is accused of collaborating with Islamist extremists to orchestrate the bombings, allegations echoed in a 2023 Channel 4 documentary featuring whistleblower testimony. Sallay, arrested in February, denies the charges.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who took office shortly after the 2019 attacks, also refutes the allegations. The current president, campaigning against Islamist extremism, has sought a court injunction to prevent Rajapaksa's arrest in connection with the ongoing investigations.