Special security at Aluthkade Courts as long-awaited 2019 Easter Sunday attacks verdict due today

A Colombo Special Three-Member High Court Trial-at-Bar today (22) sentenced all 15 individuals convicted in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks to 220 years of rigorous imprisonment each.

The court also ordered the confiscation of all assets belonging to the defendants.

Furthermore, the court directed that the fingerprints of the defendants be taken.

This order was issued by the bench of Colombo Special Three-Member High Court judges comprising Judges Navaratne Marasinghe (Bench President), Sujeewa Nishshanka, and Ramanathan Kannan.

Mohammad Mustafa Mohammad Haris, the 16th suspect convicted today (22) in the Easter trial, made the following submissions in open court regarding the sentence handed down to him:

“I spent over 10 months writing and submitting facts to the court. The verdict was given in two weeks. Our concern is whether those submitted facts were even reviewed. I had only half a page of charges against me. The only allegation against me was that there were explosives at my house.

I brought stones from a quarry to build my house. My phone contains contacts with the owner of that quarry. They obtained evidence by threatening the quarry owner. I have committed no wrong whatsoever, yet I was arrested. When I was arrested, my youngest daughter was just two weeks old, and my eldest daughter was seven years old.

I have done no wrong. Only one person gave evidence against me. In relation to that, I submitted a written submission containing 161 points. I do not know if it was reviewed. Either way, this case is ultimately leaning toward a political direction.

I request that a lenient sentence be imposed, if only considering my children and grandchildren.”

Mohammad Anwar Mohammad Rizkan, the 6th suspect convicted today (22) in the trial regarding the Easter Sunday terror attacks—who had remained silent without giving defense statements during the trial—made the following submissions in open court regarding the sentence handed down to him:

“I am very happy. I don’t think the three of you have the happiness that I feel. I understand that deep down, you cannot impose a punishment with a clear conscience. This is the first time I am speaking; I was following a silent policy.

Allah Almighty has given an opportunity. I was found guilty. Even at this moment, I am happy with myself. The situation in the country has a significant impact. From our family, we have done no wrong to the aggrieved parties. Allah Almighty knows that we have committed no wrong. If anyone has been involved in this incident through me, God will take care of it.

If I ever get an opportunity to serve justice, I will serve justice for the nation I was born in. There are people involved in this. There is no smoke without a fire. Those who are involved in this incident and are outside are living as if their heads are on fire with their problems. Those who were acquitted and left with us today left crying. But even though we were found guilty, we are smiling. We accepted it with a smile.

You may have never even seen a trial like this. My wife suffers from cancer. My mother is 75 years old. My sister has just done her O/Ls. But I don't worry about those things; I am happy.

All I have to say is, why were we put through this for a crime we did not commit? I am willing to give evidence regarding this incident—so that justice may be served.”

The Colombo Special High Court Trial-at-Bar has decided to announce the sentencing for the 15 individuals convicted in the main case related to the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks tonight (22) at 9:00 PM.

Our reporter stated that when the case was recalled at around 7:45 PM today (22), the Special High Court Trial-at-Bar bench ordered the sentencing announcement to be scheduled for 9:00 PM.

The case is being heard before the Colombo Special High Court Trial-at-Bar bench comprising Judges Navaratne Marasinghe (Bench President), Sujeewa Nishshanka, and Ramanathan Kannan.

The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar today (22) found 15 accused guilty in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, which claimed the lives of 269 people and injured more than 500 others.

The verdict was delivered as the court concluded the trial concerning the series of coordinated attacks carried out on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, targeting three Catholic churches and three leading hotels in Colombo.

Nine other defendants who had been charged in connection with the attacks were acquitted and released by the court.

The attacks were carried out by nine suicide bombers, including Zahran Hashim, a member of the National Thowheed Jama'ath organization.

The coordinated attacks killed 269 people, including foreign nationals, and injured more than 500 others, including children, attracting widespread international attention.

Following investigations into the attacks, legal proceedings were launched in 2019 against 25 individuals on more than 23,270 charges, including charges relating to conspiracy, aiding and abetting the attacks, and other offenses connected to the Easter Sunday bombings.

A total of 2,309 prosecution witnesses gave evidence in the case filed by the Attorney General against the 25 individuals, including Naufar Moulavi.

The evidentiary hearings, which continued for several years, concluded on August 24.

The three-member High Court Trial-at-Bar comprising Justices Navaratne Marasinghe, Ramanathan Kannan and Sujeewa Nissanka had previously announced that the final judgment would be delivered today.

Heavy security at Hulftsdorp

Special security arrangements were put in place at the Hulftsdorp court complex from this morning ahead of the delivery of the verdict.

Police personnel, members of the Police Special Task Force, police sniffer dogs, a police mobile CCTV vehicle and ambulances were deployed at the court premises.

The accused in the Easter Sunday case, including Naufar Moulavi, were brought to court this morning.

Several other parties, including Catholic priests, also arrived at the court premises.

The three-member bench began delivering the verdict at approximately 11.30 a.m.

8,900-page indictment

Delivering the judgment, Presiding Judge Navaratne Marasinghe said that, given the enormous length of the judgment, the court would read out in open court only the most important points.

The judge stated that the indictment against the defendants comprised nine volumes and approximately 8,900 pages.

According to the judge, the defendants had been charged with offenses punishable under Sections 2(1)(h) and 2(2) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act in relation to conspiring to carry out the Easter Sunday attacks, aiding and abetting them, promoting extremist ideologies and spreading discord among different ethnic groups.

The court had therefore considered evidence presented against the defendants concerning extremist lectures and weapons-training activities conducted prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, as well as the establishment and maintenance of training workshops and safe houses.

Presiding Judge Navaratne Marasinghe explained the court's approach to determining involvement in a conspiracy, stating: “There is no requirement for people involved in a conspiracy to be lined up together in one place. A conspiracy or agreement can be direct or implied. Those who became involved at the beginning, those who became involved midway, as well as those who became involved toward the end, can all be parties to the conspiracy.”

Defenses considered

The judge subsequently stated that the court had considered the defense statements presented by each of the defendants.

The court rejected the defenses presented by the first defendant, Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Naufar, also known as Naufar Moulavi; the second defendant, Gafur Mama; the third defendant, Hayathu Mohamed Milhan; the fourth defendant, Mohamed Ibrahim Sadik Abdullah; the fifth defendant, Mohamed Ibrahim Sahid Abdullah; and the other defendants forming the total of 15 defendants found guilty. The High Court judge, however, stated that the court accepted the defenses presented by the remaining nine defendants.

15 found guilty

Delivering the final conclusion of the three-member bench, Presiding Judge Navaratne Marasinghe said the judges had reached their conclusions unanimously after considering all the evidence.

“After considering all the evidence, the three judges have reached these conclusions unanimously. Accordingly, the bench unanimously determines that the indictments brought by the prosecution against the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth defendants in this case have been proved beyond reasonable doubt.”

The court therefore found those 15 defendants guilty of the charges established against them by the prosecution.

Nine acquitted

The court, however, reached a different conclusion in relation to the remaining nine defendants.

The presiding judge stated:

“However, as the prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the charges brought against the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, twentieth, twenty-first, twenty-second, twenty-third, twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth defendants, it is decided that they be acquitted and released.”

Accordingly, the three-member High Court Trial-at-Bar unanimously found that the prosecution had proved the relevant charges against 15 defendants beyond reasonable doubt, while nine other defendants were acquitted and released.

A three-judge Trial-at-Bar panel of the High Court announced the conviction of 15 accused, including Naufer Maulavi, in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attack series.

The judicial panel stated that 9 other accused facing charges in the case were acquitted and released.

This verdict was delivered regarding the case filed against 24 accused, including Naufer Maulavi, under 23,270 charges including conspiracy, aiding, and abetting the execution of suicide terrorist attacks targeting tourist hotels, Christian churches, and other locations in Colombo and several other areas on Easter Sunday in 2019.

Among the accused, Yasin Bawa Abdul Rauf passed away in prison custody in 2023 during the trial.

Accordingly, the list of those convicted and acquitted is as follows:

(1) Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Naufer alias Naufer Maulavi - Convicted on all charges (2) Mohamed Saribu Adam Lebbe alias Abu Hadik - Convicted on all charges (3) Hayathu Mohamed Ahmed Milhan alias Abu Zillah - Convicted on all charges (4) Mohamed Ibrahim Sadiq Abdullah alias Abu Umar - Convicted on all charges (5) Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Haq alias Abu Fala - Convicted on all charges (6) Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Riskan alias Abu Tariq - Convicted on all charges (7) Mohamed Mansoor Mohamed Sanasdeen alias Abu Misan - Convicted on all charges (8) Abdul Manaf Mohamed Firdouse - Convicted on all charges (9) Mohamed Ramish Mohamed Sarik/Sajeed - Convicted on all charges (10) Abdul Latif Mohamed Safi alias Safi Maulavi / Abu Furqan - Acquitted on one charge; Convicted on all remaining charges (11) Husseinul Rizvi Mohamed Kahir Sameer - Convicted on all charges (12) Mohamed Zawheer Mohamed Hassan alias Abu Dawood - Acquitted and released (13) Mohamed Iftikhar Mohamed Insaf alias Abu Mohamed - Acquitted and released (14) Rashid Mohamed Ibrahim - Acquitted and released (15) Mohamed Hanifa Zainul Abdeen alias Abu Hina - Convicted on all charges (16) Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Haris alias Abu Nanjeer - Convicted on all charges (17) Yasin Bawa Abdul Rauf - Deceased in prison custody during the trial (18) Rasik Raza Hussain - Convicted on all charges (19) Kachchi Mohamed Jasmine - Convicted on all charges (20) Zainul Abdeen Mohamed Jaseen - Acquitted and released (21) Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Rizwan - Acquitted and released (22) Meera Sahib Mohamed Nafli alias Abu Sana - Acquitted and released (23) Mohamed Amir Mohamed Ayatullah - Acquitted and released (24) Mohamed Ansardeen Mohamed Ilmi - Acquitted and released (25) Mohamed Akram Ahakkam - Acquitted and released

A total of 15 of the 24 accused standing trial over the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks have been found guilty by the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar.

The verdict in the long-running case against Naufer Mawlawi and 23 co-defendants is being delivered today (22) by the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar.

The remaining nine accused have been acquitted and ordered to be released, according to an Ada Derana reporter at the court.

The sentences for the 15 accused found guilty are also scheduled to be announced later today.

The case was filed against the 24 accused over more than 23,270 charges, including conspiracy, aiding and abetting, collecting arms and ammunition, and attempted murder under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

The accused were also facing allegations concerning their links to the extremist group responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks.

The attacks took place on April 21, 2019, when coordinated suicide bombings targeted three churches and three hotels in several parts of Sri Lanka.

More than 350 people were killed in the attacks, including foreign nationals, while over 500 others sustained injuries.

Following the attacks, several investigations were conducted, including a Presidential Commission of Inquiry, a Parliamentary Select Committee inquiry and multiple police investigations.

The Attorney General subsequently filed indictments against 24 suspects and sought the appointment of a Trial-at-Bar to hear the case. A total of 2,309 prosecution witnesses testified during the trial.

The recording of evidence for both the prosecution and defence concluded on August 24, 2026, following daily hearings.

The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar subsequently fixed today, for the delivery of the verdict.

Meanwhile, special security measures were deployed at the Hulftsdorp Court Complex this morning ahead of the judgment.

Several special police teams were reportedly assigned to strengthen security at the court premises as the defendants were brought before the court for the verdict.

The attack targeting St. Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade was carried out by an individual named Achmad Muath. His brother was arrested.

Mohamed Hasthun has been identified as the bomber at St. Sebastian's Church in Katuwapitiya.

The person who launched the bomb attack on the third target, the Kingsbury Hotel, was Mohamed Azam Mohamed Mubarak. His wife is in police custody.

One of the Shangri-La bombers responsible for the overall attacks was Zahran Hashim. The other individual was Ilham Ahmed Mohamed Ibrahim.

The bomb attack on Zion Church in Batticaloa was carried out by Mohamed Nazar Mohamed Asaad.

The person who attacked the Cinnamon Grand Hotel was Ilham's elder brother, Inshaf Ahmed Ibrahim.

Abdul Latheef, who was educated in the UK and Australia, failed to detonate his bomb at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, but later detonated it at a small lodge in Dehiwala.

Meanwhile, when several police officers went to inspect a house in Mahawila Park, Dehiwala, Ilham Ibrahim's wife, Fathima Ibrahim, detonated a bomb. Three police officers, Fathima, her unborn child, and two of her other children were killed in the explosion.

On October 4, 2021, the Attorney General handed over indictments under 23,270 charges against 25 defendants, including Naufer Maulavi, for aiding and abetting the series of suicide bomb attacks carried out on Easter Sunday in 2019 by an extremist group led by Zahran Hashim.

Among them, an accused named Yasin Bawa Abdul Rauf passed away in 2023 during the court proceedings.

Who are the remaining defendants?

Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Naufer alias Naufer Maulavi

Mohamed Saribu Adam Lebbe (Abu Hadik alias Gafoor Mama)

Hayathu Mohamed Milhan (Abu Zillah)

Mohamed Ibrahim Sadiq Abdullah (Abu Umar)

Mohamed Ibrahim Shaheed Abdul Haq (Abu Fala)

Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Riskan (Abu Tariq)

Mohamed Mansoor Mohamed Sanasdeen (Abu Misan)

Abdul Manaf Mohamed Firdouse

Mohamed Ramish Mohamed Sajeed alias Sajeed Maulavi (Abu Naja)

Abdul Latif Mohamed Safi (Safi Maulavi / Abu Furqan)

Husseinul Rizvi Khalib Sameer

Mohamed Zawheer Mohamed Hassan (Abu Dawood)

Mohamed Iftikhar Mohamed Insaf (Abu Mohamed)

Rashid Mohamed Ibrahim

Mohamed Hanifa Zainul Abdeen (Abu Hina)

Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Haris (Abu Nanjeer)

Rasik Raza Hussain

Kachchi Mohamed Jasmine

Zainul Abdeen Mohamed Jaseen

Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Rizwan

Meera Saheed Mohamed Nafli (Abu Sana)

Mohamed Amin Ayantullah

Mohamed Ansardeen Hilmy

Mohamed Akram Ahakkam

Defendants, including Naufar Maulavi, are brought to court regarding the main case concerning the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019.

The Attorney General filed the case with 23,270 charges, including committing murder, causing severe injuries, and carrying out the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

The Colombo Three-Judge Special High Court is scheduled to deliver the verdict in this case today (22).

Special security measures have been deployed at the Aluthkade Courts Complex as the verdict in the case related to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks is scheduled to be delivered today (22).

Several special police teams have reportedly been assigned to strengthen security at the court premises.

The verdict is scheduled to be delivered today in the case filed against 24 defendants on more than 23,270 charges, including conspiracy and aiding and abetting the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.