Police arrest key suspect in May 6 terror attack

Maldives police have arrested the man believed to have detonated the IED outside Parliament Speaker, former President Mohamed Nasheed’s residence on Thursday, leaving him severely wounded.

The man was arrested from Hulhumale’ flat 95-G-2, located near the Ghaazee School, on Sunday morning.

A homemade remote-controlled IED was strapped to a motorcycle parked nearby Nasheed’s residence, and was detonated at 08:27 pm on Thursday, just as Nasheed, 53, exited his residence and went to get in his car. Nasheed was thrown to the ground and sustained multiple shrapnel wounds, while three members of his security detail and two bystanders sustained minor wounds.

He was rushed to ADK Hospital, where he underwent multiple lifesaving surgeries.

The police are treating the case as a targeted terror attack to assassinate Nasheed.

The police confirm the man arrested from Hulhumale' on Sunday is the prime suspect, whose CCTV images were released by the police. The third arrest comes after two arrests on Saturday.

The two previous suspects arrested in the case are:

• Mujaz Ahmed, 21, Ma. Feyruge, K. Male’
• Thahmeen Ahmed, 32, Folheyma, GA. Kondey

The police released CCTV footage of the blast on Saturday, along with images taken from CCTV footage of the prime suspect. The police made the arrest with assistance from public.

Nasheed sustained multiple shrapnel wounds and underwent 16 hours of lifesaving surgeries. He was taken off like support on Saturday morning, and is breathing on his own.

The doctors who treated him said that though Nasheed is now out of immediate danger, he has a long road ahead to recovery.

Police have asked for anyone with information regarding the attack to call the hotline 9704000 or submit information to the online evidence submission portal.