The Maldives Police Service says it has no knowledge of claims made in international media that a Maldivian national was been arrested for alleged involvement in a planned terrorist attack on the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup currently being held in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India.
A spokesperson for the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) told Minivan News that it was unable to comment on allegations relating to security in another country, while a police official said that they had no information that a Maldivian was involved in any terrorism offences linked to the event and would not comment further on the matter.
According to the Times of India newspaper, Maldivian national Iqbal Mohamed, whom Minivan News reported earlier this month had been taken into custody at Male’ International Airport over his suspected involvement in the 2007 Sultans Park bombing in Male’, was arrested on suspicion of trying to attack this year’s Cricket World Cup event.
Police spokesperson Lance-Corporal Abdul Majeed Moosa confirmed to Minivan News today that the Criminal Court yesterday refused to extend Iqbal’s detention and ordered his release.
Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed said he would provide more information on the decision when staff returned to the office.
The Times has meanwhile reported that that Iqbal was suspected to have been part of plans to strike the cricket World Cup.
“A ‘terrorist’ suspected of planning to attack the cricket World Cup has been arrested after help from authorities across South Asia including in Pakistan,” the Times of India wrote, citing International Police Organisation Interpol’s Chief Ronald Noble.
According to Noble, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Maldivian authorities had worked together to identify, locate and arrest a “terrorist” on his way to the Maldives from Karachi on the grounds of “criminal intent”.
The arrest was made amidst a strict security crackdown in the region during the World Cup, with Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik claiming that fears existed of a major unspecified terrorist attack at the high-profile event.
“There was a serious attempt of an act of terrorism during this (World Cup),” said Malik.
According to the Times of India report, local police authorities have already issued a general alert ahead of the tournament’s final match scheduled for April 2 in the city of Mumbai, while Australia was said to have yesterday updated a travel advisory for its citizens calling for a “high degree of caution” for anyone in the region during the event.
Speaking to Minivan News on 15 March, Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed that Iqbal Mohamed had been arrested on arrival at Male’ International Airport from Pakistan earlier in the month, after regional authorities had alerted their Maldivian counterparts of his movements.
The arrest, according to Shiyam, was made in connection to an attack in Male’ in 2007, where a device built from components such as a gas cylinder, a washing machine motor and a mobile phone exploded injuring 12 tourists – several seriously.
Shiyam told Minivan News at the time that although Iqbal Mohamed was believed to have been in Pakistan at the time of the Male’ attack, he had been wanted by police as part of their ongoing investigations into the 2007 incident due to an alleged role in the plan.
The sub inspector claimed that the Maldives Police Service was waiting for the Prosecutor General to present a case against the suspect ahead of any potential trial in the Maldives and had not been aware of any motivation for his return to the country.
“We really don’t why has had travelled back to the Maldives, but we have now arrested him.”
Mohamed was himself the subject of a red notice issued by Interpol, which was said to have drawn police attention after Interpol’s Major Events Support Team (IMEST) operating in Sri Lanka during the Cricket World Cup identified the suspect as he was travelling through the country back to the Maldives.
According to Interpol, red notices are a system used to keep the 188 nations that make up its members informed of arrest warrants issued by judicial authorities. Although the notices are not formal arrest warrants, the organisation said that they are used to identify individuals wanted for crimes under a national jurisdiction.
Following Moahmed’s arrest, Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said that he did not believe the suspect’s return to the Maldives raised concerns about further potential attacks in the country.
He claimed that the country’s National Security Advisor had recently addressed the issue of religious fundamentalists after a request from the country’s Immigration Commissioner and found no additional concerns.
Zuhair added that the advisor had concluded that there was not thought to be any terror cells operating within the Maldives and claimed there was no need to further heighten national security against such threats.
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The National Security advisor, whoever that is, needs to be fired.
Why'd Al-Qaeda attack the World Cup?
Because FIFA refused to let their team wear harulvaalhu on the playing field.
No surprise here. We simply do not have the necessary laws enacted to deal with the numerous crimes that we face let alone to deal with potential security threats.
The People's Majlis is unable to pass necessary legislation to make this country inhabitable against rampant crime. The Majlis has become a joke because our elected representatives of the "Opposition" are busy conspiring to bring down the legitimate government instead of concentrating on their numerous tasks.
The MPs representatives should share the blame for not doing enough to get these laws passed. While they need to defend the Government against the endless attacks from the Opposition, it is also the responsibility of MDP Majlis members to push these laws forward.
The problems with the Judiciary etc. can only be dealt with through legislation.
Pakistan is playing games since Nasheed's govt. isn't in favor of Pakistan and everything that goes with her.
Criminal court "RELEASES" suspect...seriously guys...LOL....No other background on this issue? How about the case presented for extension of detention period? Comments from the Maldivian Democracy Network :P?
Aren't you even going to try and give Abdullah the benefit of the doubt? LOLZ....good luck with your crusade. If the judiciary merely changes hands without undergoing any real structural reforms then good luck to this country.
tsk tsk,
Sorry, but in the present situation where terrorists are fast becoming our main export after tuna,there is hardly any room for 'benefit of doubt'.
This 'benefit of doubt' is the reason why the last guy went and murdered dozens of innocents in our neighboring countries, while supposedly being under 'surveillance' by the MNDF.
That is unacceptable.
This happens when infidels invade the rich lands of Muslims. The victims have no other choice but to announce Jihad to free the lands.
we are very good at coming up with excuses such as there is no law or no this, no that. The problem is we simply dont want to do things. As yaamyn above says terrorists have become a main export second only to tuna. But our govt simply isnt doing enough. Our national security advisor is drunk round the clock and partying all the time. but president anni has to keep him even after he was rejected by majlis. sorry situation 🙁
There are secularist and extremist (Alcohol drinkers and Adulterates) who wants to always project the pious Muslims and Islam as a religion as a violent and uncivilized way of life! While we all agree that these individuals wants only one thing: allow them to live in alchol and underage and multiple partner simulations sex!!
We should leave aside Islam---when a criminal commits a crime, why should we involve religion? He/she is simply a criminal whatever belief he/she follows. The issue is Justice system. When the judiciary is infected with corruption, unqualified and inexperienced people thirty for money, justice cannot be served. The police and MNDF are not the issue...and when Justice is not served, the law and order are in jeopardy. and when Law and order are absence in a society, criminals, political thugs, street gangs rule the society... We are in a bloody mess and we are deeply involved in unethical, unsocial and un-Islamic stinking politics that allow the political thugs to expand their influence in wealth and authority......
off with his head!
Mohamed Ahmed, i disagree. It's not your simple ordinary Maldivian man who's going to Pakistan to blow himself up, killing hundreds of innocent people thinking this is the best path to heaven. These are religious extremists, with al qaeda thinking who are getting trained in these countries by LeT and such. Why do you think terrorists tried to kill tourists at Sultan Park? What did those tourists ever do to us?
It is extremist thinking which has led to this, and the number is increasing day by day, while Zuhair and whoever else it is go on day by day denying this FACT. Why does it have to be the Indian media who reveals to the world that we have hate-preachers and terrorist cells here, who are generally accepted as "very religious, good" people? Why don't the Maldivian media do it? Because they are scared.
And the best excuse wahhabees can come up with when we tell them that there are terrorists in this country? "You are a gay/lesbian atheist christian missionary secularist infidel"
This while they think they can skip all their prayers, kill a couple of people, and be granted heaven. What a joke.
Joke as may be ... but if its the true reality ... oh boy ... we are done i guess ....