Police have revealed that they are seeking international expertise in solving the case of the murder of moderate scholar and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Dr Afrasheem Ali.
Police declined to provide any further details about the international help they are seeking, saying instead that they would provide information once the international actors arrived in the country.
Police also confirmed that they had arrested an additional suspect in relation to the murder case, once again declining to identify the arrested “due to the nature of the case”.
Four people have already been arrested in relation to the case, one of whom is female. The criminal court has extended the detention of all four detainees by 15 days.
Although the police have not yet identified any of the arrested individuals, lawyers representing “front-line activists” of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have confirmed that Mariyam Naifa and Ali Hashim were arrested in relation to the murder case.
The party has alleged that the arrests are politically motivated.
Afrasheem “not forced to apologise”: Islamic Minister
Prior to his murder on Monday October 1, Afrasheem had made his last public appearance on a live talkshow on TVM titled “Islamee Dhiriulhun” (Islamic Living).
In his last words, Afrasheem said that he was deeply saddened and asked for forgiveness from citizens if he had created a misconception in their minds due to his inability to express himself in the right manner.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Shaheem Ali Saeed was quoted in local media as saying that the Islamic Ministry had not forced Afrasheem to offer a public apology for anything in his last television appearance.
Shaheem went on to say that Afrasheem had been given the opportunity to appear on the show following a series of requests by the murdered scholar. He said that Afrasheem had asked for the opportunity on Monday’s program, and so the previously arranged guests had been replaced with him.
Shaheem also said that Afrasheem had visited the Ministry of Islamic Affairs on Monday afternoon, requesting a discussion on the topics to be covered in the talk show.
Shaheem furthermore said that in this meeting, Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Mohamed Gubadh AbuBakr, Afrasheem and himself had spoken about how religious disagreements had led to rifts between close friends, and said that he wanted to “escape from all of this”.
“[Afrasheem] said that he wanted everyone to know what his viewpoints were. And [he] wanted to share this on a channel watched by the largest audience, “ said Shaheem, sharing his discussion with Afrasheem in their last meeting together.
“I think this is a highly esteemed position that Allah has granted [Afrasheem] in timing this program in the midst of all that happened that night. It is fate that the show was arranged for the very night,” Shaheem said.
“Looking at the attack as a whole, it must have been planned for days and days. There’s no other way it could have been carried out under such secrecy,” Shaheem commented.
Shaheem said that he had no knowledge of anyone bringing about a situation where Afrasheem might have been forced to offer a public apology for his views.
Contradicting views on religious matters
Afrasheem’s moderate positions on subjects such as listening to music had previously attracted criticism from more conservative religious elements, who dubbed him “Dr Ibilees” (“Dr Satan”).
In 2008, the scholar was kicked and chased outside a mosque after Friday prayers, while more recently in May 2012, the religious Adhaalath Party released a statement condemning Afrasheem for allegedly “mocking the Sunnah”.
“After speaking to everyone, Afrasheem himself said that he was willing to apologise if the problem was in his statements. That he wanted to make clear what his stands were if he were to speak at any forum or place. That he does not call for wrong beliefs or things,” Shaheem explained.
Regarding the contradicting views on religious matters that had led to criticism of Afrasheem by other local scholars, Shaheem said that Afrasheem had approached him to find a solution.
“(Afrasheem) himself came to me and said Usthaz (scholar) Shaheem, you are the one person who can do this. So help me become one with everyone else. And so, it was under his request that the scholar’s dialogue was organised,” Shaheem was quoted as saying in local media on Sunday.
Although Shaheem said that at the end of the meeting the scholars were “happy with Afrasheem”, local media reported last month that the meeting had ended without reaching a general agreement.
At the time, Shaheem had said that the main focus of the meeting were the disagreements between Afrasheem and other local scholars on certain religious issues.
He had also stated then that the scholars involved had been unable to reach a consensus at the end of the meeting, and that he hoped Afrasheem would align his views with that of the other scholars.
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“We have been off the streets for some time – now we are back”: MDP
Nope. The super salafis and the haabees, directed by the golhaa gang did it.
The killing of Scholar and the attack on freethinker Hillath has very strong connection. These attacks were carried out by devotees of Adalth. Most drug addicts hold Islamic extreme view and they are psychopaths due to poisonous Islamic preaching by Adalth. It is obvious the violent Islam has crept in to the Maldives. The Asian Foundation was misled by those gang members by excluding Adalth’s name because they themselves are members of Adalath. It is high time to ban Adalath before it’s too late. The root cause of all problems in the Maldives is nothing but this barbaric Mullahs who are importing these fundamentalist ideas to Maldives. Maldives always had drug issues but they were not murderers before Adallth has crept to the minds of socially isolated drug addicts.
'police would provide information once the international actors arrived'??? ....actors from where? Indian Bollywood? minivannews get more professional news reporters who have passed IELTS...Please...please
Shaheem should be ashamed to talk about this. Where was he, when people affiliated with him and his own party kept slinging mud at Dr Afrasheem. It is just horrible what happened to Dr Afrasheem, and i hope the police seriously look into the matter and arrest those responsible even if they happen to be purer then thou sheikhs.
The doctor was simply murdered by an extremist muslim sect in our society in Male. There is no doubt that there was no political connection but religious.
Religion and NOT politics led to this murder..the murderers may be street gang members but were paid by some religious freaks.
Now president nasheed's assumption that alkaida was in town seems to make sense to extent. if Maldivians could go for jihad wars in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and engage in terrorism acts...why not kill anyone who opposes their beliefs?
Religion killed the Dr. and the above article clearly shows and defines the truth
Most police officers were aware that investigation officers were selected two days before his death. They killed the whistle blower saying he died of a heart attack after drinking coke. Now they are holding MDP supporters claiming that Afrasheem spoke to them from his phone, while they had the phone with them after they killed him.
Here is the planning and execution-broadcast of the attack.
http://dhiislam.com/archives/59352
it was Shaheem and Imrn who had openly said that Afrhashim had deviated from 'true' sayings of religion and including Quran and openly called for him to repent or else face 'consequences'.. now its obvious he has faced consequences... Imran and Shaheem are responsible for this murder and much of the mayhem in the country too and they are not fir for public office..let them face an election, no body will vote for them, as no one from Adhaalath party has even been elected to the parliament or a council...
"In 2008, the scholar was kicked and chased outside a mosque after Friday prayers, while more recently in May 2012, the religious Adhaalath Party released a statement condemning Afrasheem for allegedly “mocking the Sunnah”."
Religion of peace, my ass !! Extremist, disgusting, deplorable, worthless souls that should pass in this life. Sooner the better for the rest of us who enjoy this world we live in now. Another year of all this riff raff and the tourism sector in the Maldives will be going down the toilet. What a difference you can see in just the last 5 years.
How stupid the simple minded atheist and islamaphobes are. They have such a tiny brain that even flies are smarter. To all those delusional maldiviant muslims. Don't be so stupid as to follow the views of pigs and monkeys. Read about the so called western democracy and how they plan to divide and conquer the muslims (http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1716.html).
Unlike most people I really dont give a crap about minivan news shitty news. But as a citizen of this country the least I cud do is make some of you aware of the truth. I couldn't care less if the rest of you ended up in deep hell when the day comes.
Dont be naive.
Face the facts. When you or your 'learned' friends voice your views, there are many brain-dead followers who bend their backs to appease you, just for a chance to be in heaven.
What I find amusing is the sheer hypocrisy of these supposed learned community. Each and every one has differing views on almost every aspect. Yet each is claiming the same source. And they all are willing the go to the limits just to prove they are right.
One would then wonder, has god made a fatal mistake in selecting the Camel lovers for the ground-zero?
there s a maldivian story tat goes someone torched a mosque. He torched the mosque in the night and the next morning he asked someone if the person who torched the mosque has been caught. By then noody had even found out about the mosque being torched. And hence he got caught.
Islamic Minister Shaheem sounds similar
@Truth....did you even read that document? It talks about four different types of followers of Islam. It encourages support for three of them: Traditionalists, Modernists and secularists whilst countering the extreme Wahhabi fundamentalist view.
I wouldn't exactly call that "divide and conquer" as Islam is clearly already divided. It's all about strengthening various tenets of Islam that are more in line with the rest of the planet.
and where do you think you stand? in islam there is only one side and that is that there is one GOD and his messenger is Muhammed (PBUH).
Your inbred brain must be rotting with stupidity. There is no such thing as going along with majority of opinion in Quran. And I would be proud to say even if it is against the world I would follow the word of Quran to the letter than following any other type of so called western promoted / western friendly / reforming / modern islam.
Take that in and see if you can grasp the basic concept of linguistic processing in your minute brain.