241 Committee meetings on motorcade obstruction to be held behind closed doors

Parliament’s Committee on National Security (241 Committee), on Wednesday, decided to hold closed meetings with respect to the inquiry to identify whether security services had been negligent in the case of the deliberate obstruction of the president’s motorcade.

The incident in question took place on the night of March 20, near the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) headquarters in Male’ City. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s motorcade had been traveling en route to Muliaage after an event in Hulhumale’ when it ran into PPM protestors. Some of the protestors surrounded the motorcade and prevented its passage.

The protestors had kept the motorcade blocked for a good 15 minutes despite both Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and Maldives Police Service (MPS) officials present at the scene.

241 Committee, during a meeting on the case held on Wednesday morning at 11:00am, decided all their meetings with respect to case will be held behind closed doors.

North Hithadhoo MP Mohamed Aslam, who serves as the chair of the committee, said it was decided the meetings will be held behind closed doors as the case pertains to the security of the president.

Committee members also summoned Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed and other senior officials from MPS to Wednesday’s meeting. Officials from MNDF will be summoned late afternoon.

Marking the first time a president’s motorcade had been obstructed in the Maldives – the incident sparked concerns over the adequacy of the security provided to the president, and led to the suspension of the president’s security unit’s commander Colonel Abdulla Ibrahim.