241 Committee report leaves out Satto, adds Smith

Security Services Committee of the Parliament (241 Committee) has passed its analysis of the investigative report compiled by the Disappearances and Deaths Commission (DDCom) on the murder of prominent politician and Islamic scholar Dr. Afrasheem Adam. The analysis report which was passed does not include the name of one of the suspects who originally stood trial for the murder – MDP activist Ali Shan (Satto).

The 241 Committee formed a sub-committee in order to carry out the analysis. While Satto’s name is not mentioned in the report, Ali Hashim (Smith), an MDP activist who currently holds a political post at the Tourism Ministry, has been listed as one of the people possibly involved in financial transactions in connection to Dr. Afrasheem’s murder.

Dr. Afrasheem was murdered in the early hours of October 2, 2012 at the stairwell of his residence just as he returned home after appearing on a live TV show.

DDCom’s investigation concludes that Dr. Afrasheem’s murder had been a contract killing ordered by a local jihadist group run by Mohamed Mazeed (Dhafthar 471) and Samith Mohamed (Athireege, Th. Omadhoo).

It believes Azlif Rauf (H. Hilton), Hussain Human Ahmed (H. Lobby), Satto, and an unnamed minor to have actively participated in the murder, while several others had served as lookouts.

The police, which conducted the original investigation into the murder, had arrested three suspects; Satto, Humam and a minor.

The State did not pursue charges against the minor, while Satto and Humam were charged with premeditated murder. The court acquitted Satto due to lack of sufficient evidence, while Humam – who confessed his guilt but later retracted it claiming duress – was found guilty and sentenced to death in 2014.

The State did not appeal Satto’s acquittal, while Human lost his last bid to contest the death penalty after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of upholding the penalty in 2016.

The President’s Office publicized DDCom’s investigative report on Dr. Afrasheem’s murder on Sunday, November 17.

Satto, who serves as a supervisor at the Greater Male’ Industrial Zone Limited (GMIZ)’s Thilafushi site, was placed under suspension pending a full investigation into the case the same day.

The sub-committee which analyzed DDCom’s report was composed of; West Henveyru MP Hassan Latheef, Maduvvari MP Adam Shareef Umar, and Faresmathoda MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef.

The sub-committee was charged with seven tasks:

• Identifying the number of local jihadist groups, their cells, and members.
• Identifying the exact value of the contract issued for Dr. Afrasheem’s murder, the money trail.
• Identifying the local jihadist groups mentioned in the report.
• Identifying those involved in the cover-up of the murder.
• Investigating possible involvement of police or Immigration
• Establishing the current whereabouts of the people named in the report.
• Instructing relevant State authorities on the immediate measures which need to be put in place in response to the report.

The sub-committee completed its analysis in two days and under closed doors. It presented its analysis report to the 241 Committee on Wednesday. The press was not allowed into the meeting.

Sun has received a copy of the analysis report, which establishes the seven aspects which it decided to analyze, and the recommendations.

The people named in DDCom’s report were categorized based on the specifics of the suspicions against them; those involved in financial transactions in connection to Dr. Afrasheem’s murder, those who sought to conceal the murder, local jihadist groups, and former police officers who likely know the truth behind the murder.

Satto’s name wasn’t on any of the lists.

The sub-committee named 12 people on its list of people who were possibly involved in financial transactions in connection to the murder. It includes former Hulhu-Henveyru MP Moosa Manik (Reeko Manik)’s son-in-law Abdulla Jawid (Ja), Azlif – believed by DDCom to be the mastermind behind the murder, Humam, and Smith.

The jihadist groups:

• Jamiyyath Salaf
• Local Al-Qaeda branch
• Local group affiliated with Islamic State (IS)
• Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Qaeda in Syria or al-Qaeda in the Levant)
• Extremist groups which operate near Masjid al-Furqan

Total 34 people have been named for possible involvement in covering up the murder, including then-Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed.

Two people have been named on the list of former police officers who likely know the truth behind the murder; then-Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz and then-Deputy Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed.

The sub-committee has made eight recommendations, including quick legal action against Salaf and other jihadist groups, those who intentionally concealed the murder, and those who committed criminal offenses in connection to the murder.

It also recommended a review of the work jihadist or terrorist groups in order to ensure such acts aren’t repeated, action against police officers found negligent, a review of the original police investigation, and seeking travel details of the suspects who fled Maldives following the murder from the Immigration.

While the sub-committee’s report says that it has added the attendance record of the members, it does not include the attendance record or voting details, and includes only the signature of the sub-committee’s chair Hassan Latheef.

Hussain Mohamed Latheef and Adam Shareef Umar have refused to accept the validity of the analysis report. They claim that they did not vote to pass the report, and that the report was therefore presented to the 241 Committee in violation of protocol.

Hassan Latheef declined to comment on their allegations on grounds that the work of the sub-committee had been confidential.