{
  "id": 9209335,
  "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-9209335",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T21:22:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2026/09/23/sri-lanka-hands-220-year-jail-terms-to-15-convicted-of-easter-bombings"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sri Lanka's High Court sentenced 15 men to 220 years in prison on Tuesday for their direct involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people. The court found all 14 accused guilty on all charges, including murder and terrorism, while the 15th defendant was found guilty of some charges. Nine others were acquitted. The bombings targeted luxury hotels and churches, making it the worst terror attack in Sri Lanka's history. All accused are from the country's minority Muslim community. The trial, which lasted five years, involved 23,270 charges, the highest number in a single case. Former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay is currently in custody accused of orchestrating the bombings, allegations he denies. The trial also investigated claims that state elements may have had links to the attackers, which supporters of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa claim aimed to bolster their political support.",
  "summary": "The men had been accused of aiding and abetting suicide bombers who struck three luxury hotels and three churches, killing 279 people in 2019.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "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": "Gulf News",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-09-22T19:40:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "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."
}