Fifteen men have been convicted in Sri Lanka for their roles in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings targeting Christians and tourists, marking a significant step toward justice for one of the country’s deadliest terror attacks.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Sri Lanka’s High Court has convicted 15 men over their alleged roles in plotting the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 270 people, including five U.S. citizens, and wounded more than 500. Among those convicted was Naufer Moulavi, whom prosecutors identified as a mastermind of the coordinated suicide attacks, while nine other defendants were acquitted. 📺 DETAIL: The bombings targeted three churches and three luxury hotels and marked the deadliest attacks in Sri Lanka since the country’s civil war ended in 2009, with 45 foreigners among those killed. All of the suicide bombers died in the explosions, while investigators have previously linked the attacks to Islamist extremists. The 25 men originally indicted were members of Sri Lanka’s Muslim minority, with one dying in custody, and the defendants faced more than 23,000 charges. The court postponed sentencing after the verdict. The case has also renewed scrutiny of alleged intelligence failures, after authorities admitted that a warning from India about a possible attack was not properly shared, while a separate investigation is examining allegations that former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay helped orchestrate the bombings. Sallay, who denies the allegations, was arrested in February. Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has also denied claims that the attacks were deliberately allowed to occur to boost his family’s political fortunes. 🎯 IMPACT: The convictions mark a significant step in Sri Lanka’s long-running effort to hold those responsible for the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings accountable, although questions remain over alleged intelligence failures and possible involvement by senior officials. The separate investigation into former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay and allegations involving the Rajapaksa family could keep the attacks at the center of Sri Lanka’s political and security debate. 📺 FLASHBACK: The Easter Sunday bombings were attributed to Islamist extremists. Widespread protests and demands for justice have persisted since the attacks, with citizens seeking accountability from both perpetrators and government officials. |
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