Ahmed Ismail (Buru Ahandhu), who was arrested on June 26, 2022 in connection with the abduction of journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla and the murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed, was released with conditions by the criminal court on Wednesday.
Ismail Abdul Raheem (Isu) and Ahmed Muaz (Gatu Mua) were also arrested along with Ahandhu. Adhadhu has confirmed Ahandhu's release. But the conditions for his release remain unclear.
All three were arrested with court orders after an investigation by the presidential commission on deaths and disappearances. The three suspects were detained until the end of the trial under the anti-terrorism law.
Ahmed Ismail was charged with planning an act of terrorism and aiding an act of terrorism. Both charges were raised in connection with the deaths. He had been previously arrested on suspicion of assault with a dangerous weapon.
The deaths
Minivan News journalist Rilwan was abducted on August 7, 2014. The presidential commission said at a press conference in September 2019 that Rilwan was killed and his body was sunk in the sea by Maldivians who belonged to the terrorist groups ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
Rilwan.
Rilwan was killed in the name of religion after the group judged him to be an apostate, the presidential commission said. Rilwan was killed while he was reciting the shahadah [Islamic profession of faith], according to the commission.
Blogger Yameen was killed on April 23, 2017 while he was campaigning for justice over Rilwan's abduction. Two suspects were convicted over his murder.
Yameen.
Suspects were previously arrested and charged with terrorism after the police investigation into Rilwan's abduction from Hulhumale'. They were Aalif Rauf, Mohamed Nooradeen and Mohamed Suaid.
Of the three, Aalif and Nooradeen were released after their arrest. After Suaid was released, he left the country and was rumored to have been killed while fighting in Syria. No official agency has confirmed this. But the family informed the criminal court that he was dead.
The suspects prosecuted over Yameen's murder were Ismail Haisham Rasheed, Ahmed Zihan Ismail, Mohamed Dhifraan, Hassan Shifaz, Ismail Rasheed and Hussain Ziyad. They were charged with premeditated murder with a sharp object.
Only Haisham and Zihan were found guilty. The lower court's acquittals of Ismail Rasheed and Mohamed Dhifran were appealed at the high court. It was decided not to appeal the acquittals of the other two.
After assuming office, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih formed a presidential commission to investigate unresolved murders. The three suspects charged with terrorism were arrested after the commission's investigation last year.
