Counter terrorism operation: Five remanded till end of trial

The 14 individuals arrested in the joint counter-terrorism operation conducted by Maldives Police Service and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) have been remanded.

According to Police, from the 14 arrested under terrorism charges, the Criminal Court remanded a 20-year-old, 27-year-old, 30-year-old, 35-year-old, and 37-year-old till the end of the trial.

Meanwhile, an 18-year-old, two 33-year-olds, a 35-year-old, and a 46-year-old have been remanded for 15 days, and a 19-year-old, two 27-year-olds, and a 28-year-old have been remanded in custody for 30 days.

Police have previously detailed that ten of these individuals were arrested from Addu City, two from Male’ City and two from Kaafu Guraidhoo.

All the individuals arrested in the foiled plot to carry out a mass casualty terror attack using explosives were men, confirmed Police.

In a press conference Head of Terrorism and Violent Extremism Unit, Inspector of Police Uswath Ahmed said the suspects were arrested in a counter-terror operation launched in response to intel regarding a plot by Islamic State (IS)-sympathizers in Addu to carry out a terror attack.

“They were planning to carry out a mass casualty terror attack using explosives in Maldives,” she said.