Attorney General (AG) Ibrahim Riffath has stated the Anti-Terrorism Act allows authorities to arrest and issue Monitoring and Control (MoniCon) orders on individuals who are a threat to society. He made the statement in response to Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla, who said the Anti-Terrorism Act does not allow state authorities to remand individuals who are a danger to society or place them in a rehabilitation programme after release.
Responding to questions from the Parliament, AG Riffath detailed the powers granted to the home minister and the Maldives Police Service (MPS) by the Anti-Terrorism Act, and said there are no legal obstacles preventing the arrest of dangerous criminals. The legal system currently recognises 12 terrorism-related crimes and that the home minister has the power to arrest dangerous criminals and request MoniCon orders, which will allow MPS to electronically tag and conduct surveillance on the individuals, said AG.
Riffath also said the High Court is always willing to approve requests for MoniCon orders for individuals who are deemed as a threat to society. He said the MoniCon orders can be issued for a one-year period but that the law allows such orders to be issued for more than a year and also allows such orders to be issued multiple times for the same person. He also said the home minister and MPS have the authority to place individuals who participated in foreign conflicts in rehabilitation programmes.
Meanwhile, the High Court has issued a MoniCon order on Mohamed Ameen, who is charged with planning and participating in a terrorist act.
Under the order, Ameen is not allowed to leave his home during the hours of 1800hrs and 0600hrs and is only allowed to leave Male' City with approval from the MPS. The High Court issued the MoniCon order after freeing Ameen after two-and-a-half years of imprisonment.
Ameen was wanted by the MPS over the explosion at Sultan Park in 2007 and was apprehended in Sri Lanka in 2011 after Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest.