Sri Lanka Easter Sunday Attacks Case Verdict Due Today

A three-member Special High Court in Colombo is scheduled to deliver its verdict today (September 22) in the main case concerning the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka.

The verdict is expected to be delivered by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Navaratne Marasinghe, Sujeewa Nishanka and Ramanathan Kannan.

The Attorney General has filed 23,270 charges against 24 defendants, including Naufer Moulavi, over allegations including aiding and abetting the suicide bombers, conspiracy and other offences linked to the attacks.

The case relates to the coordinated Easter Sunday bombings carried out in April 2019 by suicide bombers, including Zahran Hashim. The attacks targeted churches and hotels in Sri Lanka.

During the trial, the court accepted 10 confessions by the accused as evidence. A total of 2,076 items, including explosives, sharp weapons and firearms that were allegedly concealed, were produced as case exhibits.

The attacks killed 274 people, including nearly 40 foreign tourists and around 35 children, while 577 people were injured.

The verdict is being closely watched in Sri Lanka, where questions surrounding accountability and the circumstances that led to the attacks have remained a major public issue.