Supreme Court overturns lower court's ruling to dismiss charges against terror suspect
Ameen was charged with being involved in a terrorist organization and plotting to carry out an act of terrorism.
Ameen was charged with being involved in a terrorist organization and plotting to carry out an act of terrorism.
The Supreme Court has overturned the decision to dismiss terrorism charges against Mohamed Ameen.
The Prosecutor General’s Office appealed the High Court’s ruling to dismiss terrorism charges against the terror suspect at the Supreme Court in September.
The presiding judges over the case at the top court are Justice Muhthasim Adnan, Justice Aisha Shujoon Mohamed and Justice Husnu Al Suood.
During Sunday’s hearing to issue a verdict in the connection to the case, the presiding judges overturned the lower court’s decision, despite Ameen having requested for the High Court ruling to be upheld.
Justice Suood revealed that the charges were dismissed in violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The PG Office appealed the High Court’s ruling at the country’s top court, citing that the High Court ruling is against Article 26 (k) of the Anti-Terrorism Act and that the court had failed to consider the exceptions to the statute of limitations stipulated in the act when raising charges and investigating cases related to terrorism.
Ameen was charged with being involved in a terrorist organization and conspiring to carry out an act of terrorism. He is the first Maldivian to have been listed as a terrorist by the United States Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The High Court dismissed the terrorism charges filed against Mohamed Ameen, native to Fuvahmulah City and arrested under allegations of recruiting persons to terrorist organizations, which in turn releases the suspect from custody.
Although the High Court revealed that the charges were dismissed as they were filed after the statute of limitation was expired, PG Shameem stated that the charges were filed within the mandated period.
High Court also issued a MoniCon order against Ameen, which bars him from traveling out of the capital city without authorization from the Maldives Police Service. The MoniCon order is effective for a period of one month and bars him from leaving his residence from 6pm to 6am.
According to police, the Fuvahmulah City native is a suspected leader of the faction of terror organization Islamic State in the Maldives.
