Police ‘unaware’ of security threat against Nasheed

The police said Thursday they had not been informed of a security threat against Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s leader and Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed, after he was seen rushed out of a campaign rally by his security detail.

Nasheed’s last campaign rally before the MDP presidential primary was cut short earlier Thursday, with the former president seen rushed out of the Artificial Beach in Male’ City, where his rally was being held, by his bodyguards.

Sources close to Nasheed told Sun he was escorted out of the venue due to a security threat.

However, the police said in a statement that they had not been informed of a security threat that led to Nasheed having to cut short his campaign rally.

We have not received any such information from the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) either, said the police.

However, videos have been shared on social media showing Nasheed being rushed out of the Artificial Beach by his bodyguards.

Nasheed had been scheduled for a photo op with his followers after the speech.

An MDP parliamentarian who attended the rally told Sun the rally hadn’t gone as planned.

Nasheed had been the target of an assassination attempt on May 6, 2021, when a homemade remote-controlled IED strapped to a motorcycle outside his residence was detonated just as he exited his residence and went to get in his car. Nasheed sustained multiple shrapnel wounds in the attack, while three members of his security detail and two bystanders sustained minor wounds.

He underwent hours of surgery at a local hospital to remove the shrapnel and repair the damage, after which he was flown overseas for additional treatment.