Maldives Police Service has begun investigating a case regarding Abdulla Luthufee fleeing custody and evading capture for 9 years.
67-year-old Luthufee, the mastermind behind the most dangerous terrorist attack Maldives have faced, fled when he was sent to India for medical treatment on January 10, 2010. All attempts to bring Luthufee under custody failed, although Maldivian authorities came close to capture him in 2014 and 2016. It is believed that he travelled to Sri Lanka from India under a false identity.
However, Luthufee came by himself to the Embassy of Maldives in Sri Lanka on May 1, 2019 and revealed his desire to come under the custody of the Government of Maldives. He was brought back to Maldives on July 9, 2019 and handed over to Maldives Correctional Service to complete the remaining 4 years of his 25-year jail sentence.
In November 1988, Luthufee led the coup assisted by armed mercenaries of Tamil secessionist organisation in Sri Lanka, the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE). Over the attack, Luthufee was charged with conviction for treason and sentenced to death.
However, the death penalty was lowered to imprisonment for life under the commutations during the presidency of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.