Sri Lanka Easter Bombings Verdict: Court Set to Rule on 24 Accused in 2019 Attacks

A Sri Lankan court is due to deliver its verdict on Tuesday in the case involving 24 people accused of plotting the deadly Easter Sunday bombings of 2019, one of the country's worst attacks since the end of its civil war.

The coordinated suicide bombings targeted several churches conducting Easter services as well as three luxury hotels. The attacks killed 270 people and left more than 500 injured.

The defendants, including Naufer Moulavi, whom prosecutors have identified as the alleged main organiser, face more than 23,000 charges. The allegations include murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism and illegal possession of firearms. All 24 accused have denied involvement.

Evidence in the long-running case

The prosecution presented testimony from more than 2,300 witnesses and submitted 2,076 pieces of evidence, including explosives, firearms and swords.

Authorities have linked the attacks to a homegrown Islamist extremist group. Prosecutors also submitted what they described as a voluntary confession by Moulavi, which was accepted by the court.

Moulavi later disputed the confession, telling the three-judge bench that he had not been shown what he was signing and denying the allegations against him.

The case has taken years to reach the verdict, while families of victims and survivors have continued to demand accountability.

Security failures under scrutiny

The Easter attacks also triggered intense criticism of Sri Lanka's security and intelligence system. Authorities acknowledged a major intelligence failure, with parliament hearing that advance information received from India had not been properly communicated to relevant officials.

In 2023, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena and other officials to pay compensation to victims after finding them responsible for security lapses connected to the attacks.

Two former senior officials were also sentenced to death last month over criminal negligence linked to the bombings. Sri Lanka, however, has maintained a long-standing moratorium on executions, meaning death sentences are generally commuted to life imprisonment.

Fresh allegations involving intelligence chief

The verdict comes as a separate investigation continues into former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay. He was arrested in February over allegations that he helped orchestrate the attacks alongside Islamist extremists. Sallay has denied the accusations.

The allegations gained international attention following a 2023 Channel 4 documentary, which featured testimony from a whistleblower alleging that the attacks were allowed to occur to strengthen the political position of the Rajapaksa family.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who won the presidency months after the bombings after campaigning on national security and combating Islamist extremism, has denied the allegations. He has also sought court protection against a possible arrest while the investigation continues.

The court's ruling against the 24 defendants is therefore expected to mark a significant development in Sri Lanka's years-long effort to establish accountability for the Easter Sunday attacks.