One of the suspects arrested on July 9 for claiming to be in possession of an explosive near the presidential palace, has been remanded by three days.

Media officer at the Maldives Police Service (MPS) told RaajjeMV that the suspect, who has been under police custody since being arrested on Friday, has been remanded for a period of three days. The other suspect was released the same day of the arrest.

It has been revealed that both suspects have previous drug possession records.

They were arrested near Mulee'aage, after they claimed that they were carrying a bomb inside a suitcase, on Friday. Officers of MPS and Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) were dispatched near the area after receiving the reports.

Threatening to carry out a terrorist attack is punishable according to the Maldives constitution.

On June 2, security levels near the presidential residence were strengthened following intel reports of bomb threats. The area near Mulee’aage is always secured by MNDF officers and following the bomb threats, security was boosted.

Security measures were strengthened across the Maldives capital, following a terrorist attack on May 6. Former President and Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed was targeted with an assassination attempt on May 6, as he was heading out to attend an event in an island. The attack, which saw a remote-controlled IED explode near his residence in the center of Malé City, caused serious injuries to the ex-president who was rushed to the hospital within seven minutes after being knocked to the ground by the blast, which was dubbed far more powerful than the explosion in Sultan Park, 2007.