Sri Lanka’s High Court Convicts 15 Men Over 2019 Easter Bombings

High court verdict delivers long jail terms to 15 men accused of planning the attacks that killed 270 people.

Nine of the accused were acquitted, but the convicted men received sentences ranging from 200 to 260 years, effectively a life sentence.

The court also ordered that all of the defendants’ assets be seized, following charges of over 23,000 offences.

Officials say a key “intelligence lapse” allowed the attacks to happen, after a tip from India failed to reach Sri Lanka’s security agencies.

The case follows a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that held former President Maithripala Sirisena responsible for national security failures and ordered compensation to victims.

The verdict comes as investigations into former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay, who is accused of orchestrating the bombings, continue.

Sri Lankan citizens have held regular protests demanding justice for the victims, and the country is still grappling with the legacy of the civil war.

With the verdict now in, prosecutors will begin confiscation of assets and further investigation into the intelligence failures that paved the way for the attacks.