Sri Lankan questioned over Easter bombings seeks asylum in UK

A Sri Lankan man suspected of involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 269 people is seeking asylum in the UK.

The attacks targeted hotels and churches, killing six Britons, and the suspect was arrested in Sri Lanka in 2022 before being released on bail.  

He left the country later that year and applied for asylum in Britain, claiming police continued to visit his family home and that he fears persecution if returned. He denies any role in the bombings.  

The Home Office rejected his asylum claim, but he won an appeal at the upper tribunal, which ruled that the initial hearing failed to properly assess key evidence, including an arrest warrant issued after he left Sri Lanka.  

The tribunal has ordered a full rehearing to reassess his credibility and the circumstances surrounding his arrest and departure from Sri Lanka. The Home Office maintains it will fight the appeal, saying its priority is to stop suspected terrorists entering the UK, as the government rolls out major reforms to tighten asylum and deportation rules.