{
  "id": 9475262,
  "title": "Sri Lanka Easter Sunday Blasts Case: 15 Convicted Over 2019 Bombings, Sentenced To 220 Years Each; All To Appeal Against Verdict",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/sri-lanka-easter-sunday-blasts-case-15-convicted-over-2019-bombings",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T02:48:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/sri-lanka-easter-sunday-blasts-case-15-convicted-over-2019-bombings-sentenced-to-220-years-each-all-to-appeal-against-verdict"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fifteen individuals, convicted by a Sri Lankan court for their roles in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, will appeal their 220-year sentences, a defence lawyer announced on Wednesday. The attack, carried out by nine suicide bombers affiliated with the local Islamist group National Thawheed Jamaat, linked to ISIS, targeted three Catholic churches and three luxury hotels, resulting in nearly 270 deaths, including 11 Indians, and over 500 injuries. A three-judge High Court Trial-at-Bar, consisting of Judges Navaratne Marasinghe, Ramanathan Kannan, and Sujeewa Nissanka, found 15 of the 24 accused guilty and imposed sentences exceeding 200 years each. Defence counsel Kneel Maddumage, representing seven accused, stated they would appeal the convictions and sentences to the Supreme Court after receiving the necessary documents. Some defendants lack legal representation, but Maddumage requested that all convicts be provided with copies of the proceedings to file their appeals. Initially, 25 people were charged in connection with the bombings, which reduced to 24 following the death of one accused in October 2021. The prosecution filed 23,270 charges, and 2,309 witnesses testified. Catholic Church spokesman Father Jude Krishantha welcomed the verdict, expressing satisfaction that the relatives of the deceased received justice. The attack prompted political controversy, with former President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe facing criticism for their perceived failures to prevent the attacks despite prior intelligence. A presidential inquiry later concluded that Sirisena was guilty of negligence in failing to prevent the bombings. Despite this, Sirisena denied the charge, and the top defense hierarchy was ordered to pay substantial compensation to the families of the victims in 2023.",
  "summary": "Colombo: Fifteen people, sentenced to over 200 years each in prison by a Sri Lankan court for their involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide attacks, will appeal their record jail sentences, a defence lawyer said on Wednesday. Nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group, the National Thawheed Jamaat, linked to ISIS, targeted three Catholic churches and three luxury…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}