COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A court in Sri Lanka convicted 15 men on Tuesday for their roles in the April 21, 2019, Easter Sunday suicide bombings, a series of attacks that left more than 260 dead and approximately 500 wounded.
The coordinated assaults targeted three churches and three hotels across the island nation while congregants and guests celebrated the holiday. Carried out by groups inspired by the Islamic State, the bombings remain among the deadliest incidents in Sri Lanka’s history, resulting in the deaths of 42 foreign nationals.
Authorities initially filed over 23,000 charges against 24 suspects in 2021, accusing them of planning or inspiring the attacks. The charges included murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and offenses related to firearms and explosives under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
According to officials, none of the individuals believed to have directly carried out the bombings are alive. Because Sri Lanka has not performed executions since 1976, death sentences are typically commuted to life imprisonment.
Two local Islamic militant organizations were identified as responsible for the attacks. However, Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church has alleged, without presenting evidence, that those currently convicted are not the masterminds and that a larger conspiracy orchestrated the violence.
In July, a former police chief and a former senior defense ministry official were also sentenced to death for failing to respond promptly to foreign intelligence warnings regarding potential attacks.
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