Speaker Aslam urges implementation of inquiry report on Nasheed’s attack

Parliament Speaker Mohamed Aslam, on Monday, states that the recommendations made in the inquiry report formulated by the Parliament’s Committee on National Security Services (241 Committee) in connection to the May 6 terror attack on former President and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed need to be fully implemented.

Opening Monday’s parliamentary sitting, Speaker Aslam noted that today marked the third anniversary since the May 6, 2021 attack. He underscored the Parliament’s wishes to see the implementation of the recommendations made in the inquiry report regarding the incident at the earliest.

“As you may know, this May 6^th marks the third anniversary since the dangerous murder attempt on former speaker of the parliament Mohamed Nasheed,” he said.

“On behalf of the Parliament, I call upon the full implementation of the recommendations made in the inquiry report on the matter that has been publicized at the earliest,” he added.

Speaker Aslam also expressed his wishes to see a Maldives that is free from religious extremism and violence.

THE DEMOCRATS SAYS LACK OF JUSTICE FOR NASHEED IS A SHAMEFUL DEPICTION OF THE CONDITION OF THE STATE

Nasheed’s party, The Democrats, in a statement on the anniversary of the attack, remarked that the lack of justice is a shameful depiction of the condition of the Maldivian nation.

The party slammed the delays in the trial of suspects apart from those who have pled guilty. They attributed this to “normalizing” major issues, by disregarding the severity their severity and viewing them as small issues.

“The delays in the trial of suspects other than the ones who confessed, the release of some suspects in custody, the acquittal of some suspects and the failure to identify a single person who was behind the attack – henceforth the lack of the justice despite years – is a shameful depiction of this nation’s state,” the statement read.

The Democrats, in their statement, also expressed concern over the opportunity to execute such a terror attack on an individual in a crucial post in the nation and condemned this.

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has reported receiving intelligence information on three separate occasions on assassination attempts against Nasheed. Referencing this, The Democrats reiterated their criticism of the authorities’ failure to ensure the legally mandated security to Nasheed and strongly condemned this.

The party called upon all relevant government authorities to investigate the terror attack against Nasheed to its core and ensure just punishment for all involved. They also called to expedite justice for Nasheed.

Background 

A homemade remote-controlled IED was strapped to a motorcycle parked near Nasheed’s residence, and was detonated at 08:27 pm on May 6, 2021, just as Nasheed 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.

Nasheed was treated at ADK Hospital, where he underwent a 16-hour surgery and was later airlifted to Germany for further treatment.

Although charges were filed against 11 suspects in connection to the case, the May 6 trials have produced only two convictions so far, that against Adhuham Ahmed Rasheed, Hiyaa, V. Thinadhoo, who confessed to detonating the IED. He signed a plea deal with the prosecution and received a reduced sentence of 23 years in prison in 2021.

And that against Abdulla Ali Manik, Bahaaruge, HA. Molhadhoo, who received five years for supporting a terror organization. Meanwhile, Mohamed Thasleem, Alanaasige, HA. Hoarafushi, who was believed by police to have played a key role in planning the attack, and in convincing the others involved that Nasheed needed to be killed, has been acquitted.