Sri Lankan court bars ex-President Rajapaksa from foreign travel in Easter attack probe
A Sri Lankan court has imposed a travel ban on former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and two military officers as part of the investigation into the 2019 Easter attacks. The court's decision follows concerns that their departure could hinder ongoing investigations into the bombings that killed 270 people. The current government has reopened the case, citing previous political cover-ups.
- ▪The travel ban was issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court after a motion from the Criminal Investigation Department.
- ▪The 2019 Easter attacks were carried out by the local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jama'ath, linked to ISIS.
- ▪Investigators allege that the attacks may have been exploited to benefit Rajapaksa's presidential campaign, though this has not been proven in court.
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A Sri Lankan court on Wednesday (June 3, 2026) imposed an overseas travel ban on former President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksaand two former military officers in connection with ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter attack.The Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court issued the order after considering a motion filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the coordinated suicide bombings that targeted churches and luxury hotels across the island nation on April 21, 2019, that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians.
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