Three individuals have been prosecuted for attempting to join the Syrian civil conflict.
The charges were filed against Ahmed Latheef of Muringu, L. Maamendhoo, Ahmed Suhail Moosa of Neelvilla, GDh. Rathafandhoo and Munawwar Abdullah of Seneree of Th. Gaadhihfushi.
The charges were filed on February 15, 2015 on the allegations that the three individuals had attempted to enter Syria via Turkey. The charges were filed under the terrorism act.
If proven guilty of the charges, the three will be jailed for between 17 to 20 years.
The three were arrested on the Turkish border in an operation conducted by Turkey Police. The three were among a group of four who had fallen to a trap set by the Police; the three were arrested and the other had managed to escape.
The Government had estimated that around 30 Maldivians were active in the Syrian Civil War. While some have died in the conflict, others were actively involved in the fighting as part of IS and Al- Qaeda affiliate Nusra front. Many who had attempted to join the conflict had been arrested from Bangkok, Sri Lanka and other locations.
