Home Minister: MDP helped radicals spread their message

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer has said on Twitter on Friday, that while the government acted against radicals, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) stepped in and helped them spread their message.

The minister’s remarks come in relation to the unauthorised imam leading Friday prayers at Dharumavantha Mosque. The imam was arrested on Thursday, but the prayer was held at Dharumavantha Mosque on Friday nonetheless, led by opposition groups.

The Minister said in two separate tweets:

Today the govt acted against radicals but MDP stepped in & helped them spread their message. I thought we were together in this fight.

— Umar Naseer (@UmarNaseerPPM) October 3, 2014

MDP will have to decide whether to be with us or with them.

— Umar Naseer (@UmarNaseerPPM) October 3, 2014

Dharumavantha Mosque is not included in the list of mosques in Male’ permitted to hold Friday prayer. Moreover, the imams who deliver sermons at this mosque are not authorised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.