Sirisena Settles Easter Bombing Compensation

Sri Lanka's former president, Maithripala Sirisena, has paid the full SLR 100 million compensation for the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 270 people. Supreme Court held him accountable for failing to prevent the attacks despite prior intelligence warnings. Sirisena completed the payment on August 16.

Sri Lanka's former president, Maithripala Sirisena, has fully paid the SLR 100 million compensation for the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which claimed 270 lives, including 11 Indians, during his tenure.

The Supreme Court determined that Sirisena, 72, was negligent in preventing the country's deadliest terror attack despite credible intelligence warnings. His lawyers confirmed the completion of the SLR 100 million payment on August 16.

The attacks were executed by nine suicide bombers from the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ), affiliated with ISIS. The incident targeted three Catholic churches and several luxury hotels. The political fallout saw both Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe criticized for their failure to act on prior intelligence.

(With inputs from agencies.)