The Parliament’s Committee on National Security Services (241 committee) has publicized their inquiry report into the 06th May terror attack which was targeted at the Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed.
The highly anticipated report highlighted major issues surrounding interagency intelligence exchange and support systems. However, the report laid bare on the Defence Minister Mariya Ali Didi’s possible negligence in thwarting the 06th May terror attack.
According to section 10.17.8, the Hulhudhoo Constituency MP Ilyas Labeeb had informed Defence Minister Mariya Ali Didi of a possible attack against Speaker Mohamed Nasheed after he received a tipoff. Defence Minister Mariya Ali Didi stated that she did not inform any other intelligence units, within the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the Maldives Police Service (MPS).
She justified that under Article 19-1 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, that information on an act of terrorism should be relayed to the MPS and not the Defence Minister. She also stated that there was no legal need for the Hulhudhoo Constituency MP Ilyas Labeeb to relay the tipoff to her, and insisted that she is under no obligation to pass on the information on the attack to the MPS, herself.
However, Article 19-3 (e) of the Anti-Terrorism Act states that in addition to the intelligence units, any information gathered on a possible act of terrorism by any state authority should be immediately relayed to the intelligence units mentioned in the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Defence Minister Mariya Ali Didi also stated that she did not inform the Defence Intelligence Service (DIS) of the tipoff on the attack against Speaker Mohamed Nasheed because the Speaker’s security threat level was already at critical. She stated that even if she had informed the DIS of the possible attack, the threat level would have remained critical.
The inquiry report also noted that the Maldives National Defence Force did engage in patrolling the streets of the capital city following the 06th May terror attack. When questioned on the subject, Defence Minister Mariya Ali Didi, according to the inquiry report stated that the MNDF does not have the legal powers to patrol the streets of the capital city and that the power lies with the MPS.
However, the inquiry report noted that Article 28-4 (a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act states that, in the event of a possible act of terrorism or after an act of terrorism using weaponry or explosives, the MNDF will lead the efforts in protecting the society and taking preventive measures.
The content of the report is speculated to cause major political upheaval within the ruling Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) and its coalition partners. Conditions remain fragile within the ruling party as factions loyal to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Speaker Mohamed accuse each other undermining and sidelining each other.
Moreover, Speaker Mohamed Nasheed’s daughter and his supporters have already accused Minister Mariya Ali Didi of being involved in the attack and have called for her resignation.