A Sri Lankan court has sentenced 15 men to between 200 and 260 years in prison for their roles in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 267 people and injured nearly 600 others.
The three-judge High Court panel in Colombo convicted the men over charges including conspiracy to commit terrorism, aiding the attacks, murder and possession of firearms and explosives. Five defendants received 200-year sentences, five were sentenced to 220 years, four to 240 years and one to 260 years. Their properties were also ordered confiscated.
The attacks on 21 April 2019 targeted three churches and three hotels during Easter celebrations. The bombings were inspired by the Islamic State group and were among the deadliest attacks in Sri Lanka’s history. Forty-two foreigners were among those killed.
Nine other defendants were acquitted and released, while one of the original suspects died before the trial concluded. Prosecutors had filed 23,270 charges in the case, which lasted nearly five years.
The verdict comes amid continuing questions over intelligence failures surrounding the attacks, with investigations also examining allegations of wider involvement.
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