- A Sri Lankan court has sentenced 15 men to life in prison for their roles in the 2019 Easter bombings.
- The court also ordered property confiscation under the country’s tough anti-terror law.
- Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Naufer, an Islamic cleric who prosecutors said inspired the attacks, was sentenced to 220 years in prison with hard labor.
- Naufer refused to ask for leniency, stating, "According to Islam, no religious leader should plead with (secular) authorities over any matter."
A Sri Lankan court has sentenced 15 men to life imprisonment for their involvement in the 2019 Easter bombings, which resulted in the deaths of 267 people and injured 574 others. The attacks, inspired by the Islamic State, targeted churches and hotels during Easter celebrations.1
The court's verdict, delivered amid tight security, included sentences ranging from 200 to 260 years based on the defendants' roles in the conspiracy. The three-judge panel also ordered the confiscation of the defendants' property under Sri Lanka's strict anti-terror laws. Prosecutors highlighted that the attackers had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State leader before the bombings, indicating a well-planned assault aimed at killing Christian worshippers and tourists.
Among the convicted, Islamic cleric Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Naufer received a 220-year sentence and notably refused to seek leniency, stating, “According to Islam, no religious leader should plead with (secular) authorities over any matter.” The court acquitted nine other defendants, who were found not guilty of the charges against them, leading to emotional reunions with their families.3
The bombings, which occurred on April 21, were among the deadliest in Sri Lanka's history, prompting a significant legal and security response from the government.
“The verdict came amid tight security with hundreds of police deployed, and the three-judge panel ordered property confiscation under anti-terror law. Naufer, who inspired attacks via radical preaching, said no religious leader should plead with secular authorities.”
