Maldivian Embassy in Sri Lanka has confirmed that all Maldivians arrested in Sri Lanka in connection to the bombings that took place in the country last month have been released.
Around 13 Maldivians were arrested in the ongoing special operations that followed the Easter Sunday blasts, where authorities are checking residences and following suspicious leads. However, all but two Maldivians were released on separate occasions.
Maldivian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Umar Abdul Razzaq on Tuesday confirmed that no Maldivians arrested during the state of emergency now remain in custody.
“No Maldivians are currently held in remand under the arrests made during the state of emergency. The remaining Maldivians have been released with no charges filed against them”, said the ambassador.
Three Maldivians were released on Tuesday, including Mohamed Manik and Hassan Manik, who were arrested after a book on militant group Islamic State (IS) was found in their home during a home search.
Speaking to AVAS, ambassador Umar said the information of all individuals arrested during the state of emergency are cross-checked by three different authorities related to investigating terrorism before being released.
“All arrested individuals are screened by Sri Lankan CID, SIS and TID. They will be released once clearance is approved from all three agencies”, explained Umar.
While over 15,000 Maldivians reside in Sri Lanka, the Maldivians in the country are suffering the consequences of the terrorist attack that targeted churches and high-end hotels in Sri Lanka, claiming the lives of 253 people. The Maldivian government has requested the Sri Lankan government to take steps that would assure the safety of Maldivians in Sri Lanka.
The two Maldivians released on Tuesday with an Embassy official
