Easter Sunday Verdict a Step Forward, But Catholic Church Insists Full Truth Remains Elusive

The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has welcomed the court verdict delivered against those convicted in connection with the devastating 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, while making clear that justice for the victims remains far from complete.

A Verdict Welcomed, But Not the Final Word

Speaking on behalf of the Church, Fr. Jude Krishantha acknowledged the significance of the court's ruling but stressed that the verdict alone cannot be considered the end of the road. He emphasised that the full truth behind the coordinated bombings, which claimed the lives of over 270 people and wounded hundreds more, must still be brought to light.

The Easter Sunday attacks of 21 April 2019 targeted three churches and three luxury hotels across Sri Lanka in a series of suicide bombings that shocked the nation and drew condemnation from around the world. The attacks remain one of the deadliest acts of terrorism in the country's history.

Church Calls for Deeper Accountability

Fr. Krishantha made it clear that while the conviction of those directly involved is a meaningful step, critical questions surrounding the attacks — including who enabled them, who had prior knowledge, and whether warnings were deliberately ignored — have yet to be satisfactorily answered.

The verdict is not the end. The full truth must still be uncovered, and all those responsible at every level must be held accountable.

The Catholic Church has been a persistent and vocal advocate for a thorough and transparent investigation since the attacks occurred, repeatedly calling on successive governments to ensure that justice is delivered not only to those who carried out the bombings, but also to those who may have facilitated or failed to prevent them.

Families of Victims Continue to Seek Answers

For the families of the victims, the court ruling brings some measure of relief, but many remain deeply unsatisfied with the pace and scope of the investigations conducted over the past several years. Numerous questions regarding alleged intelligence failures and possible high-level complicity continue to haunt those who lost loved ones in the attacks.

The Church has indicated it will continue to pursue accountability through every available legal and moral channel, urging the Sri Lankan government to ensure that no individual or institution responsible for the tragedy escapes scrutiny.

The 2019 Easter Sunday bombings targeted St. Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, and Zion Church in Batticaloa, along with the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand, and Kingsbury hotels in Colombo. The attacks were later attributed to a local Islamist extremist group with reported links to the Islamic State.

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