CCTV footage captures man suspected of detonating IED

The police have stated they are pursing four persons of interest whose behavior in the location of last Thursday’s terror attack against former Maldivian president and current Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed arose suspicion. The police declined to disclose details, citing it may impede the investigation.

The attack on Thursday took place as Nasheed, 53, exited his residence and got in his car. The blast injured him and five more people – three military officers who are members of his security detail and two bystanders – a local man and a British man.

While the police have yet to release any CCTV footage linked with the attack or any images of the four persons of interest, images grabbed from CCTV footage of a man said to be one of the people who carried out the attack has been going viral on social media since Friday night.

Sun has been informed through multiple sources the man in the images is one of the four persons of interest the police are pursuing.

He is also the man suspected of detonating the remote controlled IED which was strapped to a parked motorcycle.

However, this information has yet to be confirmed by any official sources.

The man, wearing a light long-sleeved shirt and a black face mask, is seen at the Athama Palace in Majeedhee Magu, located in front of Neeloafari Hingun, a narrow street where Nasheed’s residence G. Canaryge is located in one of the images.

Central Maafannu MP Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonde) has shared images of Athama Palace, which show the tiles on Athama Palace and the tiles on the images of the man to be a match.

“I went there personally last night. I am certain he was in Athama Palace. It’s the same place the man was in, in the image,” said Bonde.

Bonde said the second image shows the man running away in fear, losing his sandals in the process.

“He was at Athama Palace, and then ran along the street where the former powerhouse was located, and the street behind Athama Palace,” he said.

Bonde expressed anger at authorities for failure to prevent the attack.

He said that though Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) claims Nasheed is provided high security, he refuses to accept the claim.

“Something of this magnitude would not have taken place otherwise,” he said.

In a press conference on Friday night, Chief of Defense Force Major-General Abdulla Shamaal said the IED used in the attack was homemade, using non-military grade material, and detonated remotely.

Multiple witnesses reported seeing a man fleeing from the scene.

Both the police and military confirm the attack was an act of terror targeting Nasheed.

The former president, who sustained multiple injuries in the attack, underwent 16 hours of surgeries to remove shrapnel from his internal organs.

He remains hospitalized.