Court sentences Hood to 23 years for IS-related offences

The Criminal Court on Sunday sentenced Hood Mohamed Zahir to 23 years in prison after finding him guilty of leading media-related activities linked to the Islamic State (IS) in the Maldives.

Hood was arrested in January 2022 with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and foreign intelligence agencies.

According to the prosecution, Hood created multiple accounts on social media platforms under different names and used his mobile phone to participate in online groups that shared information and updates linked to IS. He was also accused of providing documents used for the dissemination of IS propaganda and coordinating with others to translate such materials from different languages.

The charges further stated that Hood communicated with various individuals to support the circulation of propaganda content and expressed support for IS across multiple social media platforms. He was also accused of acting as a member of the group’s media operations.

Five charges were filed against Hood on 18 April in connection with these activities.

The court found Hood guilty on three charges. He was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for being a member of a terrorist organisation, five years’ imprisonment for supporting a terrorist organisation, and three years’ imprisonment for possessing written material, drawings or photographs indicating support for a terrorist organisation.

Hood was acquitted of charges related to encouraging acts of terrorism through the internet and disseminating terrorist organisation materials online.