Sirisena was Sri Lanka s President and Defence Minister at the time of the attacks when nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and three luxury hotels on April 21, 2019, killing nearly 270 people, including 11 Indians, and injuring over 500.
Convicted in early 2023 along with police and law enforcement leaders, the former president - who was in office during the 2019 massacres in Colombo - has paid the first instalment of the fine he owes. The relatives of the dead and survivors, however, received only 28 of the 311 million rupees stipulated by the court.
Sri Lanka : Former President Sirisena pays Rs. 15 million in compensation to victims of Easter Sunday bombing colombopage.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from colombopage.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.