Pakistani security forces arrest nine Maldivians for weapon possession
| DATE: 2009-04-02 | PRINT | SHARE
At a press conference held at the Coast Guard building on Wednesday, Defence Minister Ameen Faisal said that all nine had been arrested in the Waziristan area and that they had been carrying firearms. They are Yousuf Izadhi, 39, of M. Nicosia; Ahmed Ashraf, 32 of Kashmiruwaadhee / Haa Dhaalu atoll Vaikaradhoo; Abdulla Sameer, 39 of Fenfiyaazuge / Shaviyani atoll Lhaimagu; Ali Faiz, 32 of Vaijeheyge / Haa Dhaalu atoll Vaikaradhoo; Musa Yousuf, 31 of Mirusmaage / Laamu atoll Kalhaidhoo; Yousuf Mohamed, 52 of West House / Laamu atoll Kalhiadhoo; Mohamed Zuhury, 29 of Regal / Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Dhandhoo; Ali Shafeeq, 26 of Kashimaaage / Raa atoll Kadholhudhoo and Arif Ahmed, whose age and address was not revealed.
The Defence Minister said that the Maldivian Government had been notified of the arrest on Tuesday, but added that it was not clear if the nine men were carrying weapons in order to carry out an attack in Pakistan or in nearby Afghanistan. Maldivian Police were cooperating with the Pakistani security forces to investigate who the nine had been in contact with in Maldives and to find out who they were linked to in Pakistan, the Defence Minister said.
Four of the men had left Maldives on 1st March this year while two others had left on 28 February. Two others had left Malé one day earlier on 27 February. The Minister said that it wasn’t clear when the last man, whose address and age had not been revealed, had departed from Maldives.
According to the Minister, two of the nine militants had been arrested on 11 March and the rest on 12 March. It is unknown where exactly in Pakistan the nine Maldivians were being detained, the Minister said and added that the Maldivian Government was not doing anything to bring them back to Maldives and that since they had been arrested for weapon possession the Pakistan government would take the necessary steps against them.
“Because of such actions from people travelling with Maldivian passports, it’s possible that other Maldivians will face harassment and problems in foreign countries while travelling,” Ameen Faisal said.
| DATE: 2009-04-02 | PRINT | SHARE
At a press conference held at the Coast Guard building on Wednesday, Defence Minister Ameen Faisal said that all nine had been arrested in the Waziristan area and that they had been carrying firearms. They are Yousuf Izadhi, 39, of M. Nicosia; Ahmed Ashraf, 32 of Kashmiruwaadhee / Haa Dhaalu atoll Vaikaradhoo; Abdulla Sameer, 39 of Fenfiyaazuge / Shaviyani atoll Lhaimagu; Ali Faiz, 32 of Vaijeheyge / Haa Dhaalu atoll Vaikaradhoo; Musa Yousuf, 31 of Mirusmaage / Laamu atoll Kalhaidhoo; Yousuf Mohamed, 52 of West House / Laamu atoll Kalhiadhoo; Mohamed Zuhury, 29 of Regal / Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Dhandhoo; Ali Shafeeq, 26 of Kashimaaage / Raa atoll Kadholhudhoo and Arif Ahmed, whose age and address was not revealed.
The Defence Minister said that the Maldivian Government had been notified of the arrest on Tuesday, but added that it was not clear if the nine men were carrying weapons in order to carry out an attack in Pakistan or in nearby Afghanistan. Maldivian Police were cooperating with the Pakistani security forces to investigate who the nine had been in contact with in Maldives and to find out who they were linked to in Pakistan, the Defence Minister said.
Four of the men had left Maldives on 1st March this year while two others had left on 28 February. Two others had left Malé one day earlier on 27 February. The Minister said that it wasn’t clear when the last man, whose address and age had not been revealed, had departed from Maldives.
According to the Minister, two of the nine militants had been arrested on 11 March and the rest on 12 March. It is unknown where exactly in Pakistan the nine Maldivians were being detained, the Minister said and added that the Maldivian Government was not doing anything to bring them back to Maldives and that since they had been arrested for weapon possession the Pakistan government would take the necessary steps against them.
“Because of such actions from people travelling with Maldivian passports, it’s possible that other Maldivians will face harassment and problems in foreign countries while travelling,” Ameen Faisal said.
