Majlis committee probes release of suspects in stabbing of foreigners
They were released due to failure to press charges within the statutory period
(File photo) Eight suspects were arrested in connection to the attack
Parliament Committee on National Security Services is investigating the release of suspects in the Hulhumalé stabbing of foreigners.
At a meeting held on Sunday night, committee member and Hulhumalé constituency MP Ali Niyaz called to probe the matter, given that the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office has said that they had not decided against pressing charges against the suspects. He added that monicon orders were issued against some of the suspects.
Niyaz proposed to question officials from the PG Office as well as the Maldives Police Service, and all members that attended the meeting voted in favour.
When questioned on the matter during a virtual interview on RaajjeTV on Sunday night, PG Hussain Shameem said that details of the case will be shared with the committee.
Police had on Saturday revealed that the suspects in the case have been released due to failure to press charges within the statutory period.
Police had said that they were informed that the evidence collected was not enough to file charges.
Three foreigners -one Australian and two Chinese; a tourist and worker- were stabbed on 4th February, and a video where a group of men -with their faces covered- taking responsibility for the attack, was shared online; these men claim to be affiliated with the terrorist group, Islamic State.
Eight suspects were arrested in connection to the attack; seven on February 13 and one on March 2, from Thimarafushi island in Thaa atoll.
Police had, during a press conference in late April, revealed that the attack was “an act of revenge” against its counter terrorism efforts launched in November 2019.
They alsodetailedthe findings of the investigation, including that four of the suspects were actively involved in the attack and added that they had also found the weapon used as well as those assigned to dispose this and the clothes of the attackers. Police said that over 300 hours of CCTV footage, from 75 locations, were analyzed in the investigation.
