Concluding that most of the charges raised by the state alleging the incitement of terrorist acts and the planning of terrorist acts in Th. Thimarafushi were not proven, the Criminal Court today convicted three individuals and sentenced them to prison.
The case was submitted to the Criminal Court with seven charges against eight individuals. They are Abdulla Shareef of Fehividhuvaruge, Thimarafushi; Ahusan Mohamed of Asrafivila in the same island; Ali Muneez from the same house; Mohamed Aasir of Asurumaage in the same island; Samah Shareef of Saima in the same island; Ali Aruham Mohamed of Fehivila, R. Kandholhudhoo; Abdulla Imad of Beach House, R. Maduvvari; and Ibrahim Looth of Rosemead, N. Kudafari.
Guilty verdicts were established against Ali Muneez, Ali Aruham Mohamed, Abdulla Imad, and Ibrahim Looth. The state raised various terrorism-related charges against those individuals in February 2021.
While the charge of supporting a terrorist organization was proven against Abdulla Imad, Ali Muneez, and Aruham, Imad and Aruham were each sentenced to three years in prison as punishment for the crime. However, with the deduction of the period Imad spent in detention, there is no remaining sentence to be enforced.
While Muneez was sentenced to one year, nine months, and one day in prison, deducting the period spent in detention leaves no sentence to be enforced for him either.
Aruham was also prosecuted for attempting to go to war, and the punishment handed down for it was a five-year prison term.
The charges of obstructing the administration of justice were also proven against Imad and Looth. The punishment delivered was one year, seven months, and six days of imprisonment. However, deducting the period both individuals spent in detention leaves no sentence to be enforced.
The Criminal Court decided today that the charges of acquiring techniques required to carry out an act of terrorism, becoming a member of a terrorist organization, planning to carry out an act of terrorism, and inciting an act of terrorism brought in this case were not proven.
The primary reason for this, as stated in the verdict, is that questions were raised regarding the integrity of data extracted from a mobile phone presented as evidence in the case.
As a result of this ruling, everyone facing charges in the case except Aruham has been released from prison.
The PG Office stated today that a decision regarding whether to appeal this ruling will be made once the case reports are received. The verdict in the case was delivered today, five years after the case remained at the Criminal Court.
According to the state's allegations, preparations were underway to create a threat to the national security of the Maldives by manufacturing an IED aboard the boat "Nasah 3," operated by key figures of the religious extremist ideology active in Thimarafushi, who had planned and incited terrorist acts in the Maldives under the guidance of the Islamic State.
Traveling to uninhabited islands under the guise of trips to learn various combat tactics, and conducting classes in certain houses on the island encouraging extremist ideologies while praying separately in groups to spread religious extremism in Thimarafushi were also the reasons for sending them for prosecution.
The state stated that an international intelligence agency had also provided information to the police that an individual arrested from the boat had expressed interest in joining ISIS for combat and was searching the internet to launch a terrorist attack in the Maldives.
In that regard, police stated that around the time O'Level examinations were being conducted at the Th. Atoll Education Centre in 2020, plans were made to blow up the school's laboratory, and that the chemical storage warehouse of the school had been broken into during that period.
