Sri Lanka’s High Court convicted 14 men on Tuesday in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings of 21 April 2019, the deadliest attack in the country’s history. The coordinated attacks hit three luxury hotels and three churches, killing 279 people and injuring more than 500.
Forty-five of those killed were foreigners. The verdict ends a five-year trial involving men from Sri Lanka’s minority Muslim community, all of whom denied involvement in the attacks.
A three-judge bench found 14 defendants guilty on all charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and possessing firearms and explosives under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Mohamed Naufar, whom prosecutors identified as the ringleader, was among those convicted on all charges.
A 15th defendant was convicted of some charges. Nine others were acquitted. The presiding judge said sentencing for those convicted would take place later on Tuesday.
Twenty-five men were originally charged. One defendant died in custody, leaving 24 to stand trial.
Police filed more than 23,000 charges against the suspects. Prosecutors said an eight-member squad carried out the bombings, although the court’s verdict as described did not set out whether that group consisted solely of those convicted in this case.
The case has also led to convictions of senior officials over their handling of the attacks. Last month, former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando were sentenced to death by the country’s High Court after it found them guilty of criminal negligence.
The sentences for the men convicted on Tuesday were not announced with the verdict. The court also did not publicly set out, in the details provided, why one defendant was convicted only on some charges or why the nine others were acquitted.
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