Category: News in Brief

Indian PM Modi’s visit unaffected by Nasheed arrest, says Foreign Minister

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied rumors Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may cancel a visit to the Maldives following the arrest of former President Mohamed Nasheed on Sunday.

“I do not believe that the internal affairs of Maldives will affect the relationship between both the countries and that it will influence any planned official visits,” Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon told the press today.

She said India and Maldives are continuing discussions on arrangements for Modi’s visit scheduled for the second week of March, and said details of the visit will be revealed after discussions.

She also denied rumors alleging China may provide military assistance to the government in dealing with the protests that have erupted after the opposition leader’s arrest.

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UK alerts British tourists to protests in Malé

The United Kingdom has alerted British nationals travelling to the Maldives to take security precautions and to avoid large gatherings in Malé following the arrest of former President Mohamed Nasheed on february 22.

“Take care, remain vigilant, take appropriate security precautions and avoid large gatherings, protests and rallies,” read the travel advice updated yesterday (February 23).

The advisory read that all British nationals should contact the British High commission in Sri Lank for any consular assistance, and that the honorary consul in capital Malé can liase with the British High  Commission in Sri Lanka in case of emergencies .

The alert also noted that there is a general threat of terrorism in the Maldives, saying that attacks could be indiscriminate, in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers including tourists, and urged travelers to take comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.

Read the full travel advice here

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Former Defense Minister Tholhath pleads not guilty to terrorism charges

Former Minister of Defense Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu has pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges over the January 2012 detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

At a 5:00pm trial on Monday, Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Didi gave Tholhath three days to appoint a lawyer and answer charges.

Tholhath’s hearing took place right after former President Mohamed Nasheed appeared in court over the same charges. Judge Didi had placed Nasheed in police custody until the end of the trial.

Brigadier General (Rtd) and MP Ibrahim Didi, Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Ziyad, and current Defense Minister Moosa Ali Jaleel also face terrorism charges over the judge’s arrest. But the three have not been informed of when their trials are to take place.

Jaleel was the Chief of Defense Forces during the judge’s arrest. He was appointed as Defense Minister in late January following the dismissal of then Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim after a controversial discovery of weapons at his residence.

Nazim is currently in police custody over terrorism and treason charges.

Three successive Defense Ministers in the Maldives now face terrorism charges. The offense carried a jail term between ten and 15 years.

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Islamic Minister denounces ISIS connection claim

Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has condemned former Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem’s claim of connections between the Islamic Ministry and the Islamic State.

In an interview with India’s first post, Naseem blamed Shaheem for “Maldives’ rapid degeneration into Wahabi Islam” and said Shaheem was “in cahoots with the IS.”

In response, Shaheem tweeted last night: “The Maldives’ Islamic Ministry does not support the IS ideology. I have repeatedly said so before.”

On August 24, Shaheem said in a tweet “ISIS is an extremist group. No space will be given for their ideology and activities in the Maldives.”

Two days later, Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon issued a press release condemned human rights abuses carried out by the IS and called for the respect of life and dignity in the spirit of Islam.

Subsequently, approximately 200 people carrying the ISIS flags marched in Malé calling for the implementation of the Islamic Shari’ah.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party has repeatedly questioned the government’s sincerity, alleging the government had failed to take concrete action against growing radicalism.

Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed in January estimated over 50 Maldivians to be fighting in foreign civil wars.

Since then, a former cleric of Malé’s Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and his wife reportedly left to ISIS-held territory in Syria for jihad.

A Facebook group called Bilad Al-Sham, claiming to represent Maldivians in Syria reported at least five Maldivians have been killed in battle in the Middle East last year.

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Police arrest two minors, two men in drug bust

Police arrested two minors and two men with illicit narcotics in a five-hour operation conducted in Malé on Thursday night (February 19) by the Drug Enforcement Department (DED).

Based on intelligence information suggesting that drugs were being used and sold at Henveiru Zaa, police raided the guesthouse with a search warrant and arrested a 15-year-old male and 17-year-old female with 50 grams of drugs.

Police later arrested an 18-year-old male believed to have provided the drugs to the pair of minors. He was taken into custody from the street with six rubber packets containing drugs in his possession. Police found a further 10 packets in the vicinity.

All three suspects were Maldivians with police records.

The last suspect, a 28-year-old Bangladeshi man who is believed to have been the source of the drugs, was arrested with 50 grams of drugs in his possession.

Upon searching the Bangladeshi man’s room and belongings, police discovered a further 1 kilogram and 300 grams of drugs.

Police revealed that the 17-year-old girl had previously been stopped and searched five times on suspicion of drug use. The 15-year-old boy had been taken into custody three times, stopped and searched 12 times, and penalised four times for traffic violations.

The 18-year-old man had been stopped and searched 27 times and penalised for traffic violations.

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Hassan Habeeb promoted to Deputy Police Commissioner

President Abdulla Yameen has today promoted Assistant Commissioner of Police Hassan Habeeb to the post of Deputy Commissioner.

The Maldives Police Service now has three deputies, including Mohamed Sodiq and Mohamed Saudee.

In late January, changes were brought to the Maldives National Defence Force following the dismissal of Mohamed Nazim as defence minister, with Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Fayaz (Papa) replacing Major Ahmed Faisal as head of the Special Protection Group – charged with ensuring the security and safety of the president.

Captain Ibrahim Naeem is also reported to have been removed from the head of armoury and replaced by MNDF intelligence head Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Rauf.

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Tourism Minister Adeeb appointed as acting finance minister

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adeeb has been appointed as the acting Minister of Finance and Treasury in the absence of Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad.

Jihad is currently abroad on a personal trip.

Adeeb is also acting as the Home Minister at present with Home Minister Umar Naseer out of the country until February 27.

In early January, Adeeb was temporarily put in charge of the Ministry of Defence and National Security while former Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim was out of the country on an unofficial trip.

Nazim was dismissed on January 20 after the police found a pistol and an explosive at his home in a late night raid on January 18.

The former defence minister has been accused of plotting a coup and is now under police custody.

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Tourist police stationed at areas frequented by tourists in Malé

The Maldives Police Services (MPS) have stationed tourist police officers at areas frequented by the tourists in Malé.

“Numerous police officers are stationed in different areas of Malé for when the tourists disembark in Malé,” read a police statement today. “As the republic square and artificial beach are frequently visited by tourists, police presence will be more prominent in these areas.”

The police said they would take extra measures to protect tourists from a passenger liner currently docked in the Malé harbor.

Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon met with Chinese Ambassador Wang Fukang in order to discuss the safety and security of Chinese tourists in the Maldives.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Maldivian Foreign Service and the embassy of China, along with representatives from the tourism ministry, the immigration department, the police, the Maldives Customs Service, as well as relevant tourism industry groups.

In September 2014, a Chinese tourist hit by speeding motorbike on Medhuziyaarai Magu died while undergoing treatment in Sri Lanka.

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HDC managing director Suhail resigns

The Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) Managing Director Suhail Ahmed has resigned today, according to local media.

Speaking to Haveeru, Suhail said he had resigned for personal reasons, but refused to provide further details.

“I have worked in this post for a long time. I have also worked in the government. Now I want to do something of my own,” he said.

Suhail played a key part in the development of Malé’s suburb Hulhumalé, having worked at HDC for ten years and the government for over 30 years.

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