Police: Religious extremism has reached levels which threaten civilian lives

Maldivian authorities reported on Monday that activities by religious extremists in Maldives had grown increasingly dangerous over the years, reaching the point of plots to detonate at least two IEDs targeting the civilian population.

Maldives Police Service and National Counter-Terrorism Center have conducted a joint-assessment on religious ideologies, radicalization and terrorism in Maldives. They presented their findings this Monday, on Day 2 of the Viyavathi Raajje Councilors’ Conference underway in Crossroads Maldives.

They presented a timeline of terrorist activities in Maldives, and highlighted on common issues arising from radicalized civilians, causative social problems, and the level of threat terrorism posed on Maldives.

Mohamed Yamani Jaufar, who delivered the presentation on behalf of Maldives Police Service, said that terrorism and religious extremism was increasing in Maldives, and that one institution alone was incapable of countering the threat.

He said that the timeline showed criminals increasing leaning towards “hard approaches” which deliberately target civilian populations with the purpose of causing major devastation.

“The pattern reveals to us a trend of progression, day by day, year by year, of the intention to cause major devastation to people or institutions of civilian populations, turning towards hard approaches,” said Yamani.

He noted that after the IED which injured a dozen tourists in the Sultan’s Park in 2007, the authorities uncovered plots to prepare and detonate two IEDs targeting civilians in 2017.

THE TIMELINE

• 2007: IED detonated inside Sultan’s Park
• 2007: Clashes between religious extremists and security forces in Himandhoo
• 2009: Maldivian citizen involved in a suicide bombing in Pakistan
• 2012: Maldivian citizens travelling to Syria to join rebel groups
• 2014: Disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla
• 2014: People holding ISIS flags during a rally in Male’ City
• 2015: Murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed
• 2017: Plots to carry out acts of terrorism in Maldives using IEDs
• 2019: Maldivian citizen arrested for suspected involvement in recruitment of Maldivian citizens for militant activities abroad

Yamani said that the dangerous pattern the timeline revealed underscored the need pay greater attention to the issue and reinforce counter-terrorism efforts.

“We note the need to be more concerned and reinforce these efforts,” said Yamani.

Four people were convicted of an attempt to detonate an IED near Muliaage in 2015. Three were sentenced to 17 years in prison while one was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Four more were charged for plotting bombings in Male’ City in April 2017.