Malé, Maldives – Local media Mihaaru reports that they have received information indicating that the four suspects arrested in relation to the terror attack against Former President and Current Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed on May 6 knew each other prior to the attack as well and that they usually hung out together.
The four suspects denied knowing each other, however, local news Mihaaru reports that the contacts were seen in close contact together regularly.
Following the terror attack on May 6, Maldives Police Service conducted several operations against radicalisation in which they have arrested yet another person, whom that police informs to have some connection with the terror attack against the Former President. However, the police have not yet revealed the identity of this person.
Evidence that the suspects of this attack used to know each other prior to the attack comes while photos have been publicised, of two of the suspects on a launch 6 days before the attack.
Police records show that two of the four suspects were on the launch. The prime suspected who detonated the IED Ahmed Adhuham was among the passengers on the launch while another suspect Thahumeen Ahmed who is the owner of the detonated motorcycle was also on the vessel. Both suspects are currently in police custody following the attack.
Police found this information while retracing the movements of suspect Thahumeen Ahmed. The launch was stopped by Marine Police during a routine patrol check since the vessel’s navigation lights had some issues. Marine Police advised the vessel to fix the issues and released the vessel.
Local media Mihaaru reports that although the suspects pretend not to have known each other prior to the attack, they usually hangout together and gather at public places. They said that the suspects usually pray at the Azeeza Moosa Mosque in Hulhumalé and that they gather for coffees as well, according to a witness who saw them together.
Police has also publicised a video of the prime suspect Adhuham, meeting with the other suspects in different areas of Malé after the IED explosion.
The police is also currently investigating the attack on the Former President. 4 individuals have been arrested so far in direct connection to May 6, all of them indicating radicalisation.
The 241 Parliamentary Committee is also investigating into the security breach of the Speaker following the terror attack.Speaker Nasheed still remains in Germany after he was released from the German medical hospital on May 21, where he went for recovery and rehabilitation for the injuries suffered in the May 6, 2021.
The 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.
Nasheed was taken to ADK with heavy bleeding, and both internal and external shrapnel injuries. Ball bearings were found in Nasheed’s chest, near the heart. Injuries caused by these projectiles caused life threatening damage to the chest area. Nasheed endured major injury to the fourth rib, with a blade going through a lung. A projectile also went through his intestine with another near his liver.
Speaker Nasheed was treated at the Critical Care Unit of ADK hospital in Malé until he was airlifted to Germany on May 13, 2021 for recovery and rehabilitation. Parliament had previously revealed that Speaker Nasheed’s medical expenses in Germany is being covered by Honorary Consul of Maldives in Germany, Christian Von Stetten.
