Addu City, Maldives —Police have released five extremists they had earlier arrested from the southernmost atoll, Addu City.
While Home Minster Imran Abdullah recently stated that one of the nine extremists was released. A Police media official informed local media outlets that when five out of the remaining extremists were taken to the court for remand, the court had released all five suspects.
Previously, the Prosecutor General of Maldives, Hussain Shameem has said that the law does not favour investigative detention. The changes to regulations in 2008 long with the Constitution of Maldives state that a person cannot be held in custody for over 24 hours without the warrant from a judge.
PG Shameem stated in his article that all the steps of the investigation are detailed in the law and that although law enforcers have the right to narrow the restrict some basic rights, the law prevents them from abusing this power.
Nine individuals were arrested during an operation conducted in Addu City over a week ago. Search and seizure activities were conducted in several private residences by the Police and some property including computer hard drives were taken into custody.
Locals say that those arrested are alleged extremists who spread radical extremist ideologies in Addu City. According to sources, one of the arrestees is a leader of the group operating from the city.
After the May 6 terror attack, the police said that there would be a crackdown on terrorists and terrorism supporters, including those posting such content on social media and supporting terrorism on media comment sections as well.
An IED explosion went off around 20:20 on 6 May leaving Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed critically injured while he was getting in to his car near his house, G. Kenereege, Malé City. In addition to him, 3 more people were also been reported to be injured from the explosion including the Speaker’s bodyguards and bystanders.
