Alleged local terror fighter held at National Reintegration Centre
25 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2020 | އާދީއްތަ 08:00The 34-year-old Maldivian man was arrested on October 15
File photo of Maldivian fighter linked with Jihadist groups in Syria
The Maldivian arrested and remanded under suspicion of having taken part in terrorist activities in Syria has been held at the National Reintegration Centre, established in Himmafushu island of Kaafu Atoll as the first ever detainee at the center.
In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs revealed that the detainee a suspected terror fighter who fought alongside jihadist outfits in Syria and returning to Maldives, onctober 15.
The 34-year-old Maldivian man was remanded the day following his arrest and his remand has been extended since. He is evidently on the police’s potential list of local Foreign Terrorist Fighters or FTFs, according to Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed.
The Criminal Court on October 23 ordered for the alleged terror fighter to be detained at the National Reintegration Centre and gave the order to complete an assessment required by law, within 30 days. The man was taken to the center on Friday.
The ministry revealed that the step was an important one to protect the safety and security of Maldivians from those who return from warzones and an important step to curb the spread of extremist ideologies in the island nation.
In December last year, the government revealed that a special center designated to rehabilitate local terror fighters would be established. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the government established the temporary detention center for such cases, the first of its kind.
Latest findings of the police institute reveal that 173 Maldivians had travelled to join the Syrian conflict, through numerous terror groups.
A number of them have since been requesting to return home, mostly local widows and orphans. Due to lack of written documentation, authorities earlier stressed that it would be a challenge to bring the women and children stranded in Syrian camps.
Earlier, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih revealed that the talks were underway to move Maldivian refugees displaced in Syrian camps to another country and that they will be placed in rehabilitation upon return, where a risk assessment will be carried out to determine if they are worthy of reintegration.
While many Maldivians have in the past become casualties of the Syrian war, many are involved in terrorist groups and thus are deemed a national threat as there is a possibility of crisis in Maldives.
