{
  "id": 9198683,
  "title": "Sri Lanka hands 220-year jail terms to 15 convicted of Easter bombings",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sri-lanka-hands-220-year-jail-terms-to-15-convicted-of-easter-bombings",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T19:40:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/sri-lanka-hands-220-year-jail-terms-to-15-convicted-of-easter-bombings-1.500683065"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sri Lanka’s High Court on Tuesday sentenced 15 men to 220 years in prison for their alleged direct involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which claimed 279 lives. Out of the 25 initially charged, 14 were found guilty on all counts, including murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and possession of firearms and explosives under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. One defendant was convicted on some charges, while the remaining nine were acquitted. The court also ordered the confiscation of all the convicted men's property and assets. The 2019 attack, the worst terror incident in Sri Lanka's history, targeted three luxury hotels and three churches on April 21, 2019, killing 279 people, including 45 foreigners. The convicts, all from Sri Lanka's minority Muslim community, are accused of aiding and abetting the suicide bombers. The trial, spanning five years and involving 23,270 charges, marks the first criminal prosecution directly linked to the coordinated bombings.",
  "summary": "Sri Lanka to issue verdict in landmark Easter attack trial",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Sri Lanka convicts 14 over Easter Sunday massacre",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sri-lanka-convicts-14-over-easter-sunday-massacre",
        "published": "2026-09-22T13:00:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Island Sri Lanka",
        "title": "High Court convicts 14 over deadly Easter bombings",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/high-court-convicts-14-over-deadly-easter-bombings",
        "published": "2026-09-22T13:02:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Sri Lankan court finds 15 men guilty for their roles in the 2019 deadly Easter bombings",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sri-lankan-court-finds-15-men-guilty-for-their-roles-in-the-2019",
        "published": "2026-09-22T13:04:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Sri Lanka: 14 convicted over Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sri-lanka-14-convicted-over-easter-sunday-bombings-that-killed-279",
        "published": "2026-09-22T13:29:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NPR",
        "title": "Sri Lanka court convicts 15 over deadly 2019 Easter bombings",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sri-lanka-court-convicts-15-over-deadly-2019-easter-bombings",
        "published": "2026-09-22T13:30:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Fifteen guilty in 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings: What the verdict says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/fifteen-guilty-in-2019-sri-lanka-easter-bombings-what-the-verdict-says",
        "published": "2026-09-22T16:31:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "Sri Lankan court convicts 15 men over roles in deadly 2019 Easter bombings",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sri-lankan-court-convicts-15-men-over-roles-in-deadly-2019-easter",
        "published": "2026-09-22T18:40:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Sri Lankan court sentences 15 men to life in prison for roles in deadly 2019 Easter bombings",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sri-lankan-court-sentences-15-men-to-life-in-prison-for-roles-in",
        "published": "2026-09-22T19:51:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}