Criminal Court has sentenced Mohamed Ameen, a known terror cell recruiter of the Islamic State (IS) in the Maldives, to 27 years in jail.
Ameen, a Gnaviyani atoll Fuvahmulah local, was charged by the state for ties with Islamic State, recruitment of, and sending Maldivians to join military conflict in Syria. He was charged with involvement of and conspiring an act of terrorism.
Since Ameen's had a closed trial, owing to which details of the court's verdict remain undisclosed. However, it has been confirmed Ameen was convicted of both the charges pressed against him with a sentence of 27 years in jail.
Despite a 27-year jail sentence, Ameen will be serving time after deducting the time spent in remand, thus requiring him to serve 23 years in jail.
Ameen's criminal record notably includes involvement in the bombing at the historic Sultan Park in Male' City in 2007. He fled before arrest, and Interpol issued a Red Notice to capture him.
However, despite his subsequent arrest in 2011, he was later released in 2012.
He is also the first Maldivian to be included in the list of terrorists publicized by the United States' Department of the Treasuries Office of Foreign Affairs Control (OFAC).
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