7 arrested in Addu counter-terror op remanded in custody

Armed military officers patrol the streets of Male' City. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Muzain Nazim)

The seven suspects arrested in a joint operation by police and military in Addu City on Saturday have been remanded in custody of the police.

According to a police spokesperson, three of the suspects were remanded in custody for 15 days, and the remaining four suspects for 7 days by the court this Sunday.

Sun has been informed the operation is a crackdown on terrorism and extremism.

Armed MNDF officers have been deployed to locations across Maldives following the targeted terror attack on May 6 which left Parliament Speaker and former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed severely wounded.

A homemade remote-controlled IED was strapped to motorcycle parked nearby Nasheed’s residence, and was detonated at 08:27 pm on May 6, 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 and MNDF have upped their alert level in response to the attack. And Home Minister Imran Abdulla previously stated that the police and MNDF will take joint measures to strengthen security measures in Maldives.

Security at Velana International Airport has also been strengthened based on “information” received by the police.