Maldives Police Service (MPS) has stated the attack against the Speaker of Parliament and former President Mohamed Nasheed is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
In a statement released following the explosion which injured Speaker Nasheed, members of the Speaker’s security detail and several bystanders, MPS stated preliminary findings of the investigation indicate this is a deliberate act of terrorism. MPS said a thorough investigation is being carried out to find the perpetrators of the attack, noting technical assistance is currently being provided into the investigation by two British experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). MPS also noted a team from the Australian Federal Police is set to arrive in the Maldives to expand and strengthen the investigation.
MPS further noted security measures have been tightened in Male’ to ensure the safety of the public. As such, the alert level of MPS and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has been raised following the incident.
An explosion took place in Neelofaru Hingun near the Speaker’s residence at approximately 2030hrs, while the Speaker was getting into his car. He was immediately taken to ADK Hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment for his injuries.