Majlis committee questions defence minister in security breach inquiry
Nasheed was the target of a remote controlled bomb in capital Male’ City on May 6
Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi
Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi was questioned by the parliament’s committee on national security services on Monday.
The committee, commonly known as the 241 committee, is conducting an 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.
While the 241 committee launched the inquiry into the security breach on May 24, it faced public criticism over the delay in questioning the defence minister who had said that Nasheed's security level had been heightened two months prior to the attack. However, committee Chair and North-Hithadhoo constituency MP Mohamed Aslam had assured that she will be questioned when it reaches that point in the inquiry.
The committee has questioned a number of individuals in relation to the inquiry. This includes 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.
Further, a three-member team from the 241 committee visited the MNDF headquarters on June 19 as part of the inquiry.
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, Home Minister Imran Abdulla and former Male’ City Mayor Shifa Mohamed have also been questioned in the security breach inquiry. 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.
