Sri Lankan court sentences 15 men to life in prison for roles in deadly 2019 Easter bombings

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A Sri Lankan court convicted 15 men on Tuesday over their involvement in the 2019 Easter bombings that killed 267 people, and sentenced them each to at least 200 years in prison, meaning they will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

The three-judge High Court panel also ordered the property of the defendants confiscated and any transfers invalidated under the South Asian country’s tough anti-terror law. The verdict was delivered amid tight security, with hundreds of police officers deployed around the courthouse, following a lengthy trial that spanned nearly five years.

The April 21 attacks targeted three churches and three hotels across the island nation during Easter services and celebrations. They also wounded 574 people. The bombings, which were inspired by the Islamic State group, were among the deadliest attacks in Sri Lanka’s history. They killed 42 foreigners and devastated communities across the country.

All the convicted men were from Sri Lanka’s minority Muslim community.

Authorities filed 23,270 charges in 2021 against 25 suspects accused of planning or inspiring the attacks. One of them died pending trial. The charges included murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and firearms and explosives offenses under the Prevention of…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business