Indian University to conduct counter terrorism awareness in Maldives

Maldives defence ministry on Wednesday signed an agreement with an Indian University to conduct counter terrorism awareness and training in the archipelago.

The Indian government funded project will be conducted throughout the island nation by India's Lovely International Trust.

Defence minister Adam Shareef said the project would be an added boost for the ongoing efforts against rising extremism in the Maldives.

LIT officials would travel to the islets to raise awareness on extremism and terrorism.

Government has recently stepped up efforts to curb the rising extremist ideologies in the island nation.

Parliament last month, passed a national policy to curb rising violent extremism ideology in the archipelago.

The paper outlines the concerns of the government with regard to terrorism and violent extremism, and the preventative measures the it currently undertakes and plans to take in future.

The most vital of issues identified in the paper relates to financing terrorist activities, including assistance for others to travel overseas to participate in conflicts and terrorist activities abroad.

In the key plans for the future, the paper stresses on the need to safeguard the linchpin of the country’s economy by increasing the safety and security of resorts and tourist accommodation.

The government also identified the importance of intelligence gathering and sharing with the international community, and facilitating timely remedial action to tackle terrorism.

The paper also addressed significance of increasing public awareness of violent extremism and conducting de-radicalization and rehabilitation.

Various relevant international bodies and the opposition has insisted that the number of locals joining the Syrian conflict is at 250 which would make Maldives with the highest number of fighters in Syria per capita.

Government however, has continued to downplay the number of Maldivians joining foreign conflicts with the defence minister placing the number at 49 insisting that it was mostly made up of ex-convicts and school dropouts.