The entire nation needs to be wary of extremists who would not back down from killing people, says Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Coalition leader and Maldives Reform Movement (MRM)’s leader, Gayoom took to Twitter after Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed revealed that there are around 1,400 extremists in the Maldives who would not back down from taking a life.

Expressing concern, Gayoom stressed that this information is frightening and that the entire nation must remain cautious.

Hameed had revealed this during a session of the “Viyavathi Raajje” conference held at Crossroads Maldives, on Monday. He urged the local councils that participated, to extend support and cooperation in the authorities’ efforts to battle extremist ideologies in the country.

Further, Hameed highlighted that thus far, 173 Maldivians have travelled to Syria to join the ISIS conflict and there are 423 more who are passionate about joining the war, having also attempted in various ways, to travel to Syria.

Highlighting matters of pressing concern, Hameed said that 59 Maldivians remain in Syria, 91 percent of whom are women and children. Out of the 59, there are four men who may be brought back to the country.

In addition, Hameed had revealed that hundreds of Maldivians had joined conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan way before the Syrian conflict.