Sri Lankan court to rule on 24 suspects in Easter bombings trial

A Sri Lankan court will hand down its verdict on Tuesday for 24 people accused of planning the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 270 and injured more than 500. The defendants include Naufer Moulavi, who prosecutors say was the chief organiser, and 23 others ranging from alleged co‑conspirators to relatives of the suicide bombers. All face a slate of more than 23,000 charges, including murder, terrorism conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms. The men have denied any involvement.

The trial has stretched on for years, a delay blamed on a “major intelligence lapse” that allowed the attacks to happen. In the aftermath, Sri Lanka’s parliament learned that an Indian tip‑off was not properly shared with security agencies. The Supreme Court in 2023 ordered former president Maithripala Sirisena to pay millions in compensation after finding him responsible for the security failures. Last month, two senior officials were sentenced to death for criminal negligence, although the country’s long‑standing moratorium on executions means such sentences are usually reduced to life imprisonment. Public protests demanding justice have been a constant feature since the attacks, which remain the deadliest in the nation since the civil war ended in 2009.

More than 2,300 witnesses testified for the prosecution, and investigators presented 2,076 pieces of evidence, including explosives, swords and firearms. Moulavi initially signed a voluntary confession that the court accepted, but he later told the three‑judge bench he had not seen the document and rejected the allegations. A separate probe is under way into former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay, who is accused of colluding with Islamist extremists to enable the bombings. The accusations echo a 2023 Channel 4 documentary that claimed the attacks were allowed to boost the Rajapaksa family’s political standing. Sallay denies the claims, as does former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has been barred from leaving the country and has asked the court to block any arrest related to the investigations.

The verdict will test Sri Lanka’s ability to deliver accountability after one of its worst tragedies. A guilty finding could lead to lengthy prison terms and reinforce calls for reform of the country’s intelligence and security apparatus. If the court clears the defendants, families of the victims may renew demands for further inquiries and compensation. The outcome also threatens to deepen political tensions, as the Rajapaksa family faces renewed scrutiny over its role before and after the bombings.