Home Minister responds to video interview by Maldivian militant in Syria

Home Minister Sheikh Imran Abdulla says the Maldivian government would not not tolerate activities by Maldivian citizens which threaten the national security of Maldives, regardless of which part of the world such activities are being run in.

The warning, which Imran issued in a short statement via his official Twitter account, came after a video interview by a Maldivian militant in Syria went viral over social media on Thursday.

Imran said that the Maldivian government would not overlook any threat to national security, and would not hesitate to take any action necessary in order to protect Maldives from the threat of terrorism.

The Maldivian militant, believed to be a member of the Jabhat al-Nusra (Al-Qaeda in Levant), was interviewed by US-born journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem. The interview was posted on Bilal YouTube channel On the Ground News TV last Thursday, and has since gone viral in Maldives.

The Maldivian militant responded to questions in Dhivehi language.

When asked for his motive in travelling to Syria, he responded that he wished to save the Muslims in Syria.

He expressed an awareness of the current affairs in Maldives, and expressed criticism of the current Maldivian government, who he accused of promoting secularism under the guise of its reform agenda.

Recent amendments to the Counter-Terrorism Act establishes voicing support for terrorist organizations a criminal offense.