Speaker of the Parliament and former president of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed has criticized Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) for stating that the institution would speak on behalf of the individual officers who were present at the May 6 terror attack scene.
The Parliament's '241' committee is conducting an inquiry regarding the May 6 attack on Nasheed. The committee has asked to summon the army officers present at the scene for questioning. MNDF Thursday stated its decision regarding the matter and said that MNDF as an institution would respond to the committee on behalf of its officers, maintaining the chain of command policies. Any information that the parliament or any other parliament committee requires regarding the performance of specific officers will be provided, the statement said.
Retweeting a tweet in which MNDF publicized its statement, Nasheed, who is currently in Germany for medical treatment, said no decisions must be made by the 'top brass' that would cover up the actions of rank and file officers. Any decision that restricts the individual officers on the scene from speaking will be an injustice, said Nasheed.
Nasheed was taken to ADK Hospital in Male' on May 6 after he sustained several critical injuries in an explosion near his residence in Male'. According to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), the blast occurred when an IED strapped to a motorcycle was detonated. Multiple critical surgeries were performed on Nasheed at ADK Hospital, and he was transferred to a German hospital for further treatment. Four people have been arrested in connection to the blast.
