High explosives used in high-powered blasts were found during a search of the home of a suspect arrested on suspicion of attempting a terrorist attack, police said.
On the 11th of this month, the police and MNDF jointly conducted a search operation in Male', Hulhumale', K. Guraidhoo, and Addu City. On November 14, the police disclosed that a terrorist attack had been foiled and that those who attempted the attack had been arrested. Fourteen people were arrested in the operation, out of which four have been remanded in custody pending trial. Four others were remanded in custody for 30 days and five for 15 days.
In a statement, police Tuesday said that a large number of items believed to be related to a possible terrorist attack were recovered from the houses of the arrested persons, some vehicles, and a dinghy vessel. The recovered items are being analyzed and samples found to contain explosives are being further analyzed both locally and abroad, the statement said.
Police said three samples of suspected explosive chemicals were checked by the MNDF's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). The samples were shown to contain highly explosive materials.
"MNDF EOD said a small amount of explosives found in the samples could cause serious damage to human lives and property," the statement read.
