Easter Sunday cases against 25 accused fixed for January 12

  The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar today fixed for January 12, to hear the cases filed against 25 accused including Naufer Mawlawi in connection with the Easter Sunday Terrorist attacks. The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar has already served indictments on accused regarding these cases. The Trial-at-Bar bench comprised High Court Judges Damith Thotawatta (President), Amal Ranaraja. The indictments are to be handed over to the accused in Tamil language prior to begin the trial. The Attorney General had filed indictments against 25 accused including Naufer Mawlawi, Sajid Maulawi, Mohammed Milhan, Sadik Abdullah, Aadam Lebbe alias Gafoor Mama, Mohammed Sanasdeen and Mohammed Rizwan in respect of eight terrorist attacks at St Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, St. Sebastian's Church in Katuwapitiya, the Kingsbury Hotel, Shangri-La Hotel, Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Zion Church in Batticaloa and Tropical lnn in Dehiwela. The Attorney General had filed 23,270 charges against 25 accused in connection with the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks that took place on April 21, 2019, that killed 269 people.     The charges were filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for conspiring to murder, aiding and abetting, collecting arms and ammunition, and attempted murder. The Attorney General had earlier filed indictments against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara in connection with their criminal negligence and failure to prevent Easter Sunday Terrorist attacks.