Sri Lanka court convicts most of the accused over 2019 Easter Sunday bombings

Sri Lanka's High Court has convicted most of the men accused over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed more than 270 people.

• The three-judge bench convicted 14 of the 24 men charged, acquitted nine and found one guilty of only some charges.
• Those found guilty include Naufer Moulavi, whom prosecutors identified as the mastermind of the suicide bombings.
• The court delivered its verdict after a five-year trial, with sentencing to follow at a later date.
• The accused faced more than 23,000 charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit terrorism and possessing firearms.
• The Easter Sunday bombings killed 279 people, the deadliest attack in Sri Lanka since the civil war ended in 2009.
• The trial in the bombings case opened in November 2021 and lasted five years before the verdict.
• The court has scheduled sentencing for later Tuesday, following the delivery of its verdict.
• The court sentenced 15 men to prison terms of 200–260 years each and ordered the confiscation of their property.