Sri Lankan police on Thursday apprehended Maldivian national Mohamed Ameen, 27, who has an Interpol red notice for his alleged involvement in the Sultan park bombing incident in 2007.
According to Sri Lankan media, a Colombo magistrate court yesterday ordered Ameen to be remanded in custody for two weeks.
Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed the arrest today. The suspect was arrested based on information provided to the Sri Lankan authorities by Maldivian police, he said.
Ameen was arrested after he traveled to Sri Lanka from Pakistan on a fake passport, Shiyam explained.
Sri Lankan media reported that Ameen was arrested at Payagala level crossing on Galle road and had two fake Maldivian passports as well as a Pakistani passport in his possession.
The 27-year-old had reportedly fled the Maldives before the bombing took place on September 29, 2007. The bomb blast from a homemade IED (improvised explosive device) was the first bombing incident in the country.
The bomb blast at the Sultan park – a major tourist attraction in the capital located in front of the Islamic Centre – was triggered using a mobile phone and washing machine motor attached to a gas cylinder.
The attack injured 12 tourists, including eight from China, two from Britain and two from Japan. The incident received widespread publicity around the globe, damaging the country’s tourism industry.
The attack meanwhile prompted the authorities to declare a state of high alert and police arrested 12 suspects within 48 hours.
Terrorism charges were filed against 16 suspects, including ten who had fled the country.
In addition to Mohamed Ameen, Interpol red notices were issued for Hussain Simaad, 25, of Baa atoll Dharavandhoo; Hassan Riyaz, 21, of Haa Dhaalu atoll Nellaidhoo; Mohamed Imad, 27, of Baa atoll Dharavandhoo; Abdul Latheef Ibrahim, 25, of Laamu atoll Kalhaidhoo; Mohamed Iqbal, 42 of Maafannu Naseemee Manzil; Moosa Manik, 20, of Seenu atoll Hithadhoo; Hassan Yoosuf, 24, of Laamu atoll Kalaidhoo; Ali Shameem, 25 of Shaviyani atoll Komandoo; and Ibrahim Maslamath of Maafannu Gold Ring.
Three men – Mohamed Sobah, 19, Moosa Inaz, 21, and Ahmed Naseer, 20 – were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in December 2007 after they confessed to the crime.
In August 2010, the current administration commuted the sentences of Ahmed Naseer and Mohamed Sobah from incarceration to three year suspended sentences under observation.
Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair told Minivan News at the time that the pair “were not the people who were in charge of doing this, they did not having the highest involvement.”
He added that the government wished to “provide an opportunity for everyone to be involved in the society, and the opportunity to rehabilitate and recover.”
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Don't give him a second chance.
Ameen ? I was in Majeediyya school with him ! He was Majeediyya schools prefect leader in 1997 !
We all used to look up to him ! What happened to the guy ! Going around bombing places !
If any one corrupts them its going to be me...
; also if anyone hounds my 'friend', even the slightest (least) its not going to be bombs that `R|ain on Male', butt worse. Hmmph
So there............. !`|
its not a bomb ppl. Its called ied. improviesed explosive device. even the british when they mentioned this incident in their press did not get this wrong, how can we? at that time this happened, i remember DO had the cctv clip of the video in their website, it was irresponsible journalism. no other country would deliberately exaggerate an attack on tourism like we did because we were naive. thinking we would get international sympathy, but what we got is a bad reputation as an unsafe country and lessened number of visitors. Minivan and Dhivehi Observer played a big part in promoting this home made prank of a petrol bottle in sultan park and we are still supposed to believe that this is our 9/11 moment.
wtf?
Zuhair said - quoting from the article, that the Government wishes to "provide an opportunity for everyone to be involved in the society, and the opportunity to rehabilitate and recover...”
I never met Zuhair but I can't help but love this guy. Everytime I read Zuhair said this and that, his comments are so full of love, forgiveness, optimism. Even when President Nasheed says something in frustration he manages to convince some of us that what 'Anni' said was something greatly benevolent...
Zuhair, a big hippy in a business suit... Gotta love him... Hope he comes to Perth with Maldives CHOGM headed group, I would love to meet the guy.
Yet, for all that, I sometimes fear that his thinking is a little too trusting and optimistic...
Is it safe to be so benevolent?
I pray these fears are only my own insecurities and that I am wrong... I honestly don't KNOW...
He should get the death penalty! Enough said!!
How come Minivan News is not reporting about the PPM inaugural convention?
You guys are super lazy!
Another terrorist with a Pakistan connection. Will this jihadi claptrap never end?
Ben Plewright, hope you don't swap your Australian passport for a worthless Maldives passport. Don't do it mate.
I think this incident was just a sign of what is to come. We already see that in 2011, people are more radicalized. It's a shame terrorists like this won't be given harsher punishments, like say, life in prison?
Teach lesson to terrorists . Hang them by there balls
if alcohol drinkers and people who fornicate, get ostracised, then these idiots should be too,
Mohamed Ameen was a school perfect in Majeediyya school in 1997. This is what happens to guys who believe too much in beardee Mullahs who are always instigating people against non-Muslims thereby giving our religion bad name.
Hey! correct your words like beardee Mullahs.....Pls try to know who beardee Mullahs and ppl like Ameen....Ameen is not among the beardee Mullah but he is a suspect of killing innocent ppl
Beardee Mullahs are not murderers but they are practicing Muslims.
Zeenat, you better try to learn things before you convey any message to the ppl
@Naju
I stick to my point. Most of the Mullahs preach only hate and a person like Ameen becomes victim of their propaganda.
@Zeenut
The only ones i see here on minivan spreading hatred are the kaafir bloggers like Yameen, moyameeha, naim, simon and you. You are probably one of them hiding behind an alias.
You keep blabbering about mullahs did this and mullahs did that. I say like this: say which mullah did what and when. Just repeating a statement like a parrot does not make it true!
@awlaki
Yeah, so everyone who doesn't agree with what you have to say HAS to be one of the people you listed. What a smart theory!
Mullahs DO preach hate. They say ALL jews are pigs, and many spread hate towards Christians too, but maybe not on the same level as Jews. Although you might not consider this hate awlaki, because you probably think the same way.
"Mullahs DO preach hate. They say ALL jews are pigs..." Realy? Which Mullahs said this? Give names please!
Its useless to around in circles if you cannot name the so called mullahs who say things like that. The mullahs i know (i know quite a lot by the way) do not say such silly things at all. Jews or hindus, humans are humans and saying humans are pigs is childish. when kids get angry they call names. When adults get mad, actions follow. So stop your day dreaming about mullahs and use a little bit of common sense. Despite their long beards and unworldly appearance, mullahs (the ones i know) are smarter than that.
People O People, Don't fight among yourselves. Try to be more reasonable. Grow up to the 21st century realities. Respect each other. We as Maldivian are lacking a very valuable aspect of mankind, which is the so called "Respect". everyone should follow the "Give respect get respect" and behave accordingly. Terrorists are made from hatred. Occupation breeds Terrorism. There are countries like IRAQ, YEMEN, SOMALIA, PAKISTAN and now LIBYA, which are all surprisingly Islamic nations paying a very huge human cost. People are dying everyday for just being Muslims. Don't hate, but love each other.
@Musalhu... he is NOT going around bombing places.
@the rest who asks and calls to prosecute him, I say please dont relie on the cops and the media. For i am witness that they are liars and inshAllah soon it will be proven that he was not involved in it at all. that the cops had no evidence on him, rather it was a revenge maumoon took upon his enemy!
Seriously, so many fall victim to the cruelty of the cops, and in my husband's case they used him cos he had a BEARD!!!!