Charges forwarded against key suspect in attack on ex-Maldivian Prez

Male, July 31 The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has forwarded charges against one of the key suspects in the May 6 terrorist attack targeting former President Mohamed Nasheed to the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO), state media reported.

State-owned PSM News reported on Friday that the MPS has forwarded charges against Ali Haisham, one of the suspects arrested in connection with triggering an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that critically injured Nasheed, who is also the incumbent Parliament Speaker, reports Xinhua news agency.

Haisham is suspected to have played a role in planting the IED on a motorcycle parked near Nasheed's personal vehicle in the capital Male.

Prosecutor General (PG) Hussain Shameem confirmed that the PGO has received charges from the MPS, and said that a decision on pressing charges in court will be made once forensic reports are received.

The MPS has arrested a total of 10 suspects in connection with the attack, and has previously forwarded charges against four other suspects.

The MPS has said that the suspects have no direct links to the Islamic State (IS) terror group, though they follow the ideologies maintained by the proscribed outfit.

Nasheed received multiple life-saving surgeries at the ADK Hospital in Male after the attack, and was later transferred to Germany for recovery.