On April 21, 2019, a series of coordinated suicide bombings struck three hotels and three churches in Sri Lanka, killing 260 people. The attacks were carried out by followers of the Islamic State, operating from within the country. A parliamentary inquiry later found that security officials had received multiple warnings but failed to prevent the attacks.
Legal battle and court proceedings
The High Court in Colombo delivered its ruling on Friday, after the government appealed a 2022 decision that had cleared the two men. The court found Jayasundara and Fernando guilty of criminal negligence. The sentence of death is symbolic in Sri Lanka, where no executions have taken place since 1976. Still, the ruling represents a rare and severe punishment in the nation's legal history.
The court heard that Indian intelligence had warned Sri Lanka about a possible suicide attack on April 4, 2019 — almost a week before the bombings. Despite this, there were no significant actions taken, leading to the loss of hundreds of lives. The defense, led by lawyer Chaminda Athukorale, argued that the two men had no direct connection to the attackers and no motive to carry out the acts.
The path ahead and broader implications
The defense team plans to appeal within two weeks, claiming the court’s majority decision overlooked key arguments. Meanwhile, victims of the attacks were ordered to receive 125 million rupees in compensation through a separate civil case. Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church has also raised concerns, stating the known attackers were only part of a larger conspiracy.
Death penalty and its symbolic status
Though the men were handed the death penalty, it is highly unlikely they will actually be executed. Sri Lanka has not carried out an execution in over 45 years, and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has supported maintaining the moratorium. Most death row inmates have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. There are currently at least 800 people on death row, according to government data.