The Parliament Committee on National Security Services (the 241 Committee) has declared that the comprehensive inquiry report on the bomb attack targeting Speaker Mohamed Nasheed on 6 May 2021 will not be fully disclosed. This decision came in response to a request from Ishaq, one of the accused in the case.
Ishaq had filed the request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act on 11 May 2021. He had sought access to the report based on the procedure outlined by the Supreme Court in the appeal case filed by former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and Ahmed Krik Riza, who were convicted of money laundering and bribery in the MMPRC corruption scandal.
The testimony in Ishaq’s case was temporarily suspended until the parliament decided whether or not the report could be used as evidence. The inquiry report, it was claimed, was crucial as documentary evidence in defending Ishaq. The request specified that Ishaq is entitled to the original of the report, which is mandatory before proceeding with the evidence in the case.
After holding a closed-door meeting on Monday, the 241 Committee has decided to share a redacted version of the report with Ishaq, which is already in the public domain. The decision was unanimous amongst the committee members, citing national security concerns for not disclosing the detailed report. Until now, the complete report has only been made available to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Chief Justice Ahmed Muhthasim Adnan, and Speaker Nasheed.
Some portions of the original report have been classified, as they contain sensitive information that could endanger national security if disclosed. The decision to keep these sections confidential was reaffirmed during Monday’s meeting.
The parliamentary inquiry report initially released in July 2021 proposed a total of 45 recommendations aimed at strengthening intelligence and security mechanisms as well as countering terrorism and radicalism. This included 29 recommendations specifically targeted at countering extremism, 10 concerning the security of Speaker Nasheed, and six pertaining to financial intelligence. Among these were suggestions for stationing armed soldiers at Nasheed’s residence around the clock, the use of armoured cars for his transportation, and regular refresher courses for his security team.
The assassination attempt on Speaker Nasheed occurred as he was walking from his residence to his waiting car on Majeedhee Magu. An improvised explosive device mounted on a parked motorcycle was remotely detonated from nearby. Adhuham Ahmed Rasheed, who operated the remote, was subsequently found guilty and imprisoned, while trials for other suspects, including Ishaq, are ongoing.