Sultan Park bombing suspects charged again with terror crimes

Prosecutor General’s Office has brought charges against two individuals implicated in the Sultan Park bombings, for supporting terrorist organizations.

Charges in the case were filed with the Criminal Court, in relation with the findings of the investigation into the deliberate setting of fire to a Police speedboat in L. Gan harbor. The incident happened on the morning of March 22, 2020.

Charges were brought against Moosa Inaas from Kalhaidhoofinihiyaage, and Abdul Latheef Ibrahim from Loveside. Both men are from the Thundi ward of L. Gan.

PG Office said that upon a court order issued from the Magistrate Court of L. Gan, documents and evidence supporting the Islamic State terrorist group were obtained from a hard disk of a laptop found in the home of Inaas.

Similar searches of a laptop hard disk from the residence of Abdul Latheef had resulted in evidence supporting the Al Qaeda terrorist organization and the Jabhat Al-Nusra or the Al-Nusra front.

Both men are connected with the Sultan Park bombings.

Moosa Inaas had been previously convicted in connection with the bombings in Male’ City in 2007. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and had attempted to escape and swim to Hulhumale’ from the Dhoonidhoo prison on three occasions. He was rearrested on all three occasions.

Inaas had pleaded guilty in connection with the bombings and was later pardoned and released.

Abdul Latheef had escaped from the country after the bombings. An Interpol red notice was also issued for him after his escape. He was arrested upon returning to the Maldives in 2012 via Pakistan. Even now, Abdul Latheef is convicted of obstructing justice and is serving a sentence of 1 a year and 12 months. He was found guilty of the charges when he refused to hand over his phone for the investigation into a planned terror attack by inmates at Maafushi prison.

A total of 12 tourists were wounded in the Sultan Park bombings. The state brought charges against 16 in relation to the bombings. Some were found guilty and even sentenced, however, ten escaped from the country.

In connection with the Police speedboat fire, both men are charged with the possession of drawings, photos or documents supporting terrorist organizations under the Anti-Terrorism prevention laws of the country and if convicted could lead to a sentence of 1-3 years.