Ex-jihadist freed as Maldives court throws out case due to 'insufficient evidence'

Criminal Court has thrown out a case against an individual, who is alleged to have returned after fighting alongside jihadists in Pakistan, 'due to insufficient evidence'.

The individual in question, Mohamed Abdul Rahman is believed to have gone to Pakistan for studies in 2007, but later joined jihadist fighters after moving to a town called Wana in 2009.

Arrested in 2016 after his return from Pakistan, Rahman was subsequently charged with joining jihadists in Pakistan.

However, at Sunday's per-trial hearing presiding Judge Ahmed Hailam decided to throw out the case, as prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that Rahman had been involved in the conflict after 28th October 2015, the date when the new anti-terrorism law came into effect.

Rahman's defence lawyer, Noorul Salaam Aboobakur told RaajjeMV that prosecutors 'were unable to provide any document to show whether his client had committed such a crime since the new anti-terrorism law came into effect'.

Back in October 2017, Criminal Court freed three individuals who were caught while attempting to enter Syria, via Turkey.

Ahmed Latheef, Ahmed Suhail Moosa and Munavvar Abdulla were charged with attempting to join a foreign conflict. They denied the charges and the state was unable to prove the intent of their attempted visit to Syria or to provide documents to show that they were even arrested by Turkish authorities.

According to the National Counter Terrorism Center, Maldivians traveling to Syria is increasing, with 61 individuals having travelled there in 2017 alone.

Local news outlets have previously reported that locals who leave to join foreign conflicts remain free after returning to Maldives.