Dhoonidhoo, Maldives – The Maldives Police said that a terror suspect in Dhoonidhoo prison has attacked the police and was subdued using force.
Police released this statement after the family of the terror suspect accused the police of physically harming him. Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) is investigating the case under the anti-torture act.
Ahsan Mohamed, Th. Thimarafushi, Asrafeevilla, charged of planning to commit an act of terrorism and carrying documents suggesting support for a terrorist group was remanded to detention til the end of jail. He was arrested with seven others an attempt to carryout a terrorist attack in Thimarafushi island of Thaa Atoll, including building IEDs and planning to bomb a school.
According to the police, the incident took place when Ahsan Mohamed repeatedly blinded the cameras in his cell and was removed from the cell around 20:00 at 11 April 2021.
The police removed items used to blind the cameras in the cell, cleaned tooth paste off the cameras and ordered the suspect into the cell. He however, refused to enter upon multiple attempts and threatened the officers.
The police say that the situation then escalated when Ahsan physically attacked the officers, who used pepper spray to subdue and handcuff the prisoner. He was then put back in his cell.
The police say that the situation is being reviewed by the Professional Standards Command and Use of Force Review committee to verify whether the actions of the police were as per police guidelines. Action will be taken if any police actions were against regulation.
