Investigation underway into pistol discovered in ADK Hospital where ex-Pres. Nasheed received treatment
Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) declined to comment on the pistol
ADK Hospital, where former president and Speaker of Parliament was admitted for a week following an attempt on his life before being transported to Germany for further treatment
Maldives Police Service (MPS) are investigating the discovery of a firearm at ADK Hospital, while former president and Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed had been admitted to receive treatment following an assassination attempt earlier this month.
A pistol had been discovered inside one of the toilets by ADK Hospital staff during the period of former president Nasheed's admission at the hospital, but the Maldives Polive Service (MPS) and the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) had declined to mention the incident in a number of press conferences held since then. When questioned specifically about the pistol at a press conference held on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent of Police Mohamed Basheer had not denied the discovery of the pistol, and stated that Police Media would be disclosing further details on the pistol at a later date.
MNDF have failed to respond to any questions posed regarding the pistol discovered inside ADK Hospital while former president and Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nashed had been receiving treatment following the detonation of an IED outside his home on 6 May.
Four people have thus far been arrested in relation to the assassination attempt against former president Mohamed Nasheed. The most recent arrest had been made in Dharavandhoo island of Baa Atoll on Wednesday night, where a man had been taken into custody and. Three others arrested earlier for the attack against Speaker Nasheed have been remanded for 15 days as the investigation is still ongoing into the case.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration is proceeding with an intelligence audit for national security forces in the wake of glaring intelligence failures related to the assassination attempt against former president and Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed. MNDF and Polcie have been receiving heavy criticism of late, for their failure to identify and attend to clear threats against one of the nation's most high-profile leaders, despite having reports of an active threat against Nasheed from member of parliament for the Hulhudhoo constituency Ilyas Labeeb, who had reportedly communicated the information directly to Minister of Defense Mariya Ahmed Didi.
