Two ex-Sri Lanka officials sentenced to death over 2019 Easter bombings

A Sri Lankan high court has sentenced two former senior officials to death for their alleged failure to act on intelligence warnings prior to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people and injured hundreds more. Former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando were found guilty of criminal negligence in a 2-1 decision by a three-judge panel on Friday. Their convictions come after the state successfully appealed a 2022 acquittal, leading to a retrial at a special fast-track court. The pair's lawyers plan to file an appeal within two weeks. The 2019 attacks targeted three tourist hotels and three churches, including two Catholic and one Protestant locations. A parliamentary committee previously concluded that law enforcement and intelligence agencies had ignored multiple warnings about the planned attacks. During the trial, evidence was presented showing that an Indian intelligence agency had warned Sri Lankan authorities on April 4, 2019, about a potential suicide bombing, yet no preventive measures were taken. Jayasundara and Fernando were also ordered to pay 125 million rupees in compensation to victims of the attacks under a separate civil case. The court heard that two Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIL)-inspired groups were responsible for the bombings, though all known perpetrators are now deceased. Trials continue for individuals allegedly linked to the attackers. Survivors and families of the victims have long demanded accountability for the failures that led to the attacks. The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has stated that those currently identified as perpetrators are not the masterminds behind the bombings, suggesting a larger conspiracy was at play. This claim has not been independently verified. In Sri Lanka, a death sentence does not result in execution due to a moratorium on capital punishment established in 1976. Current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has expressed support for maintaining this policy. According to government data released earlier this year, approximately 800 individuals are currently awaiting execution, with their sentences typically converted to life imprisonment. The legal proceedings against Jayasundara and Fernando have drawn attention to broader issues surrounding national security and intelligence handling in Sri Lanka. Their defense argued that the two men lacked both motive and direct connections to the bombers, citing a dissenting opinion in the court's ruling. The appeals process could further clarify the extent of their involvement and whether their actions constituted criminal negligence. The 2019 Easter bombings remain one of the deadliest terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka's history. Investigations into the attacks have continued, with new information occasionally emerging about the planning and execution of the attacks. Despite the passage of several years, the search for answers continues among victims' families and the wider public. Legal experts suggest that the upcoming appeal will focus heavily on the interpretation of evidence regarding the intelligence warnings and the chain of command within Sri Lanka's security apparatus at the time. The outcome of the appeal could influence future cases involving similar charges of negligence in national security matters. The court's decision to impose the death penalty, while symbolic, underscores the gravity of the perceived failures in preventing the attacks.