'Sir, I am Muslim, so I cannot say anything' - How Naufer said it: Complete Easter final court report

The Colombo Three-Judge High Court bench decided to sentence 15 defendants, who were found guilty of charges including conspiracy and aiding and abetting the series of attacks launched by suicide bombers, including National Thowheed Jama'ath leader Zahran Hashim, targeting Christian churches and tourist hotels in Colombo, Negombo, Batticaloa, and Dehiwala on Easter Sunday in 2019, to rigorous imprisonment ranging from 200 to 260 years. The unanimous verdict was announced by the bench comprising Justices Navaratne Marasinghe, Ramanathan Kannan, and Sujeewa Nissanka, after a lengthy trial that lasted for nearly six years.

It was also ordered that all movable and immovable properties of these convicts be confiscated in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

After the prosecution's charges were proven beyond a reasonable doubt, Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Rizkan (Abu Tariq), Mohamed Mansoor Mohamed Sanasdeen (Abu Mizan), Huseinul Rizvi Khalid Sameer, Mohamadu Hanifa Zeinul Abdeen (Abu Hina), and Kacchi Mohamed Jesmin were sentenced to 200 years of rigorous imprisonment each. Furthermore, Mohamadu Ibrahim Mohamadu Naufer alias Naufer Moulavi, Mohamed Ramish Mohamed Saarik, Abdul Latif Mohamed Safi (Safi Moulavi/Abu Furkan), Mohamed Mustapha Mohamed Haris (Abu Nanjiyar), and Razik Raza Hussein were sentenced to 220 years each, while Mohammadu Saribu Adam Lebbe (Abu Hadeeq) alias Gafur Mama, Hayatu Mohamadu Milhan (Abu Sila), Mohamadu Ibrahim Sadiq Abdullah (Abu Umar), and Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Haq (Abu Fala) were sentenced to 240 years each. Abdul Manaff Mohamed Piridaws was sentenced to 260 years in prison.

Due to insufficient evidence, the court decided to acquit nine defendants: Mohamed Zawahir Mohamed Hassan (Abu Dawud), Mohamed Ifthikar Mohamed Insaf (Abu Mohamed), Rasheed Mohamed Ibrahim, Zeinul Abdeen Mohamed Jaseen, Mohamed Mustapha Mohamed Rizwan, Meera Saheed Mohamed Nafli (Abu Sana), Ameen Ayantullah, Mohamed Anzardeen Hilmy, and Mohamed Akram Ahakkam. The 17th defendant, Yasin Bawa Abdul Rawoof, died in prison during the trial. The court expressed regret over the delay in announcing the verdict in this case, which concluded after examining the testimonies of 547 prosecution witnesses and the defense statements, due to a technical error.

Explaining the verdict, Presiding Judge Navaratne Marasinghe stated that the three-judge bench, appointed by the Chief Justice without a jury, conducted the trial by considering investigation reports regarding this series of suicide attacks that killed 267 people and injured 574. Witnesses included the injured, relatives of the deceased, hotel employees, eyewitnesses, investigating officers, government analysts, doctors, and forensic data analysts, with some testimonies taken via Zoom technology from the Katuwapitiya Community Hall. During the trial, it was confirmed how Zahran had separated groups during workshops held in places like Nuwara Eliya and how he had given a military dimension to the concept of Jihad in Islam by misinterpreting it.

A large quantity of explosives was found in safe houses maintained by the defendants in Panadura, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Hambantota, and Sainthamaruthu. Before the attack, a test explosion was carried out by detonating a motorcycle in the Eastern Province. Milhan, who was injured in that incident, was admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo, 300 km away, under a different name and falsely claimed that a gas cylinder had exploded. Furthermore, a video was found on a pen drive discovered in Sainthamaruthu, showing Zahran at the Span Tower building, displaying weapons in front of the ISIS flag, calling for retaliation against the New Zealand attack, and pledging allegiance to Al-Baghdadi, saying, "We are coming with bombs, smiling." The court also rejected Sanasdeen's defense statement because explosives and iron balls were found in his house instead of boondi or muscat.

When asked before sentencing, Naufer Moulavi stated in Tamil, "My Lord, I ask for nothing. According to Islamic religious precepts, seeking relief from higher authorities is not an appropriate act. Therefore, I ask for nothing. Do what is suitable for the court." Mohamed Ibrahim Sadiq Abdullah stated, "My Lord... I am happy. I am even happier that nine defendants who were with us have been acquitted. I have been in prison for about seven and a half years. When I am imprisoned, I live at the government's expense. I use that prison life productively. That only benefits me. But if I were released, it would benefit my family, my country, and my household. I have not committed a crime. But I believe in the future. In the future, God will punish those who committed this crime. If I have not committed a crime at that time, I will be released. Even if the court gives this punishment, I do not agree with it."

Another defendant, Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Haq, stated, "My Lord, I have been in prison for about seven and a half years. I do not agree with this verdict. The judges have reached a point where at least a few people must be punished. This is a complex case with a political background. The whole country is watching. Foreign countries are also watching. Therefore, the judges have reached a point where at least a few people must be punished. I do not agree with this verdict." Mohamed Aswar Mohamed Rizkan said, "My Lord... I am very happy. But you cannot be happy like that. It seems that you are under great pressure. I have not committed a crime. I am not involved in this attack. But we have been implicated in this. Those involved in these matters are free. Even though they are free, they must be in great shock. Therefore, those who are free should also be punished. Nine people who were with us have been released. All of us have been like brothers until now. We are happy about their release. We are happy at this moment. That is the victory we achieved."

Defense counsel Kanil Maddumage, appearing for the defendants, stated before the court, "My Lord... my clients have been convicted of conspiracy and aiding and abetting. However, no evidence was presented during the trial to prove that they had direct contact with the suicide bombers. My clients did not obstruct justice. They participated in the trial. Sri Lanka does not have a policy regarding sentencing. Rehabilitating and reintegrating a person into society is more valuable than imprisoning them."

Senior Additional Solicitor General, President's Counsel Haripriya Jayasundara, appearing for the prosecution with Additional Solicitor General Sudarshana de Silva and State Counsel Sajith Bandara, stated, "The evidence presented in this case caused us great shock. Information about inhumane killings and torture was revealed through this evidence. The activities of these defendants have resulted in the spread of hatred and animosity. Their objective has been to kill people of other religions. Can we allow these things to happen? Is it a crime for others not to follow the religion that these defendants believe in? The objective of these defendants is to kill people of other religions."

She further emphasized, "In this incident, 267 people died and 574 were injured in the attacks launched by suicide bombers. These crimes occurred on the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the religious founder of Christians. Due to the extremist inhumane activities of a very small group, the entire country mourned on that sacred day. In the end, they won." She pointed out that the revolver found from Gafur Mama was revealed to belong to the police officers killed in Vavnathivu, and that such dangerous defendants should be kept away from society, similar to the verdict in the Central Bank bombing case. She also requested maximum penalties, considering the damage caused to the country's economy and tourism. After considering all facts, the three-judge High Court bench unanimously announced this verdict.