Home minister questioned in security breach inquiry

Home Minister Imran Abdulla was questioned by parliament's committee on national security services or the 241 committee on Saturday, as it continues the inquiry into the security breach that led to an assassination attempt on Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Nasheed was the target of a remote controlled bomb in capital Male’ City on May 6. He had just left his house and was about to get into his car when a bomb attached to a motorbike exploded.

Parliament’s committee on national security services, who launched the inquiry on May 24, has been questioning a number of individuals in relation to the inquiry. This include senior government officials –both former and current- as well as officers of the Maldives Police Service and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) despite the latter’s decision to not send individual officers for questioning.

As such, officers from the former president’s Special Protection Group (SPG) have been questioned as well as some officers from his “close protection team” appointed by MNDF.

Others that have been questioned in the inquiry include Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed as well as Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohamed Riyaz as well as officers from the police’s Intelligence Unit. Further, Chief of Defence Force Major General Abdulla Shamaal was questioned as well as other senior MNDF officers.

Housing Minister Mohamed Aslam and former Male’ City Mayor Shifa Mohamed have also been questioned. Further, Governor of Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Ali Hashim, Deputy Governor Ahmed Imad as well as the Head of MMA’s Financial Intelligence Unit Ibrahim Ahmed Nasir were questioned last Thursday.

The 241 committee is working to conclude the inquiry and forward report to the parliament floor by the end of June.