A three‑judge bench in Colombo will deliver its judgment on Tuesday in the case of 24 defendants accused of planning the coordinated suicide attacks that killed 270 people and injured more than 500 on Easter Sunday 2019. The prosecutions have presented extensive evidence, including testimony from over 2,300 witnesses and more than 2,000 items such as explosives, swords and firearms, while all defendants have denied involvement. 【F1†source】【F8†source】【F9†source】
The primary suspect, Naufer Moulavi, is charged as the mastermind behind the attacks that targeted several churches during Easter mass and three luxury hotels – the deadliest single incident in Sri Lanka since the civil war ended in 2009. 【F2†source】【F3†source】The prosecution submitted a voluntary confession in which Moulavi allegedly admitted his role, but he later told the bench that he had not seen the document he signed and rejected the allegations. 【F6†source】【F7†source】
The defendants face a total of more than 23,000 charges, ranging from murder and conspiracy to commit terrorism to illegal possession of firearms. 【F4†source】In addition to the main trial, the parliament was briefed that a tip‑off from India about the planned attacks was not properly shared with Sri Lankan authorities. 【F10†source】
The forthcoming verdict follows a recent wave of accountability measures. Last month, two former senior officials were sentenced to death for criminal negligence that contributed to the bombings, although death sentences in Sri Lanka are typically commuted to life imprisonment under a longstanding moratorium. 【F11†source】【F12†source】
Parallel to the Easter bombing trial, a separate investigation is under way into former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay, who is accused of orchestrating the attacks with Islamist extremists. The allegations echo claims made in a 2023 Channel 4 documentary that suggested the bombings were permitted to bolster the political standing of the Rajapaksa family, which dominated Sri Lankan politics for years. 【F14†source】【F15†source】【F16†source】Sallay, arrested in February, has denied the accusations. 【F17†source】
Former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa – elected months after the 2019 attacks on a platform of combating Islamist extremism – has also denied any involvement in the alleged plot. He remains barred from leaving the country and has lodged a request with the court, though the nature of the request has not been disclosed. 【F18†source】【F19†source】
Families of the victims have maintained regular public demonstrations demanding justice and accountability since the attacks. 【F1†source】【F13†source】
The outcome of the trial is expected to have significant implications for Sri Lanka’s ongoing efforts to address the legacy of the Easter bombings and to clarify the extent of any alleged state complicity. 【F14†source】
Sources
BBC News World, “Sri Lankan court to deliver verdict on deadly Easter bombings,” 22 Sept 2026, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw8r687nedzgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
Source: BBC News World
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Story synopsis gathered from: BBC News World — source
