Attempted assassination of Mohamed Nasheed

On 6 May 2021, an assassination attempt was made against Maldivian speaker of the People's Majlis and former president Mohamed Nasheed near his home in Malé. At 20:39 MVT (UTC+5), a homemade explosive device planted on a parked motorcycle exploded, injuring Nasheed and four others. Maldives authorities alleges it to be a terrorist attack by religious 'extremists'. Three suspects have been arrested.[1] The arrested suspects denied being involved;[2] all three of them had prior criminal records.[3]

Attempted assassination of Mohamed Nasheed
Mohamed Nasheed, speaker of the People's Majlis and the targeted person
LocationMalé, Maldives
Coordinates04°10′30.4″N 73°30′39.7″E
Date6 May 2021
20:39 (UTC+5)
TargetMohamed Nasheed
WeaponsIED
DeathsNone
Injured5 (including Nasheed)
This article is part of
a series about
Mohamed Nasheed
  • Political career

Current Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih described the explosion as "an attack on Maldives' democracy and economy". He has promised a "swift and thorough" investigation, warning that the perpetrators will "face the full force of the law".

Event

The explosion occurred on 6 May, 2021, while Nasheed was getting into his car.[4] He sustained injuries and underwent surgery in ADK hospital.[5] Two of Nasheed's bodyguards and two bystanders, one of whom was a British national, were also injured. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.[6]

Investigations

Police Commissioner Mohamed Hameed said 450 officers had been deployed to investigate. Two experts from the Australian Federal Police were to be involved in the inquiry. This was the second time Australian authorities have helped the Maldives with an alleged assassination attempt, after a 2015 investigation into an explosion on then-President Abdulla Yameen's speedboat, while officials from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime[7] and the United States Department of State had also offered support.[8] Officials close to Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) told Agence France-Presse (AFP) they believed he may have been targeted in retaliation for his anti-corruption campaign.[7][6]

On 9 May 2021, the Maldivian police announced that they had arrested the "prime suspect" (identified from video footage) and two accomplices, and were still searching for others. The police attributed the attack to "religious extremists".[9][1] The arrested suspects denied being involved;[2] all three of them had prior criminal records.[3] On the same day, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security Services began an inquiry into how Nasheed's security was breached.[10] On 10 May, President Solih announced that a special team had been formed in the Prosecutor General's Office to handle the court case.[11]

Casualties

Nasheed underwent 16 hours of surgery for injuries to his head, chest, abdomen, and limbs. Multiple pieces of shrapnel were removed during surgery, including one lodged a centimetre away from his heart.[12] Agence France-Presse also reported that the bomb was filled with ball bearings to increase the damage caused. By 8 May, Nasheed's condition had improved so that he could be taken off life support, although he remained in intensive care.[9] His condition remained stable, and he recovered after undergoing multiple emergency surgeries.[13] The hospital treating the former president said he was in a critical condition in intensive care on 7th May after surgery to his head, chest, abdomen and limbs.[14][15]

Nasheed after returning to parliament

On 13 May 2021, Nasheed was flown to Germany for further medical treatment after being seriously injured along with three other people.[16] He returned to the country on 11 October 2021, and resumed his duties as speaker.[17]

References
  1. "May 6 blast suspects remanded into custody". avas.mv. 9 May 2021. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  2. "Terror attack suspects deny involvement". One Online. 9 May 2021. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  3. Abdul Hadi, Ahmedulla (9 May 2021). "May 6 terror suspects deny involvement in blast". SunOnline International. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  4. "Mohamed Nasheed: Maldives ex-president injured in blast". BBC. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  5. "Former Maldives president hurt in suspected bomb attack". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  6. "Ex-Maldives president critical after bomb attack". BBC News. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  7. Ratcliffe, Rebecca (8 May 2021). "Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed critically injured in bomb blast". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  8. Abdulla, Lamya (8 May 2021). "Ready to assist bring attackers to justice: US". The Edition. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  9. "Maldives bombing: 'Prime suspect' in attack on Mohamed Nasheed arrested". BBC News. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  10. Abdulla, Lamya (9 May 2021). "Investigation starts into Nasheed's security breach". The Edition. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  11. Abdul Hadi, Ahmedulla (10 May 2021). "President: May 6 attack Investigation going well, PG Shameem himself will go to court". SunOnline International. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  12. "Nasheed barely escaped death, fragments missed heart by a centimeter: ADK Hospital". avas.mv. 8 May 2021. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  13. "Maldives: Nasheed off life support after surviving bomb attack". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  14. "Maldives Ex-president Mohamed Nasheed 'Critical' After Assassination Attempt, Say Doctors". News18. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  15. "Maldives: Nasheed off life support after surviving bomb attack". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  16. "Ex-Maldives president flies to Germany after bomb attack". DW. 13 May 2021.
  17. Srinivasan, Meera (11 October 2021). "Post-recovery, Nasheed returns to Male". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
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