Accused denied full parliamentary inquiry report on Nasheed blast
The original of the inquiry report has so far been disclosed only to President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih, Chief Justice Ahmed Muhthasim Adnan and Nasheed.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
The Parliament Committee on National Security Services (also known as the 241 Committee) on Monday ruled that the detailed report prepared by the committee on the blast that targeted speaker Mohamed Nasheed on May 6, 2021 cannot be shared in response to a request by an accused in the case.
The detailed report of the May 6 attack has been requested by Ishaq, who is accused of planning the attack.
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The report was sought on the basis of the procedure laid down by the Supreme Court regarding the disclosure of evidence in the appeal case filed by former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and Ahmed Krik Riza, who had been convicted of money laundering and bribery over the MMPRC corruption
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Ishaq requested for the report at the parliament on May 11 last year
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The inquiry report was among the evidence submitted by Ishaq when he was given the opportunity to testify in his defence
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The original of the inquiry report is required before taking evidence in the case; the report is Ishaq's documentary evidence and he is entitled to the original of the report, the request read
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Therefore, the testimony was suspended until the report was received
The committee on security services held a meeting on Monday to decide on the application for the confidential report. Ishaq had sought the report under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
A member of the committee confirmed to Atoll Times on Monday that it was decided:
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To share with Ishaq a redacted version of the report which is already in the public domain
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Some parts of the report have already been declared confidential because they contain information that could endanger national security if disclosed
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Therefore, the committee members unanimously decided on Monday that the detailed report cannot be shared with anyone except those who have already seen it
The original of the inquiry report has so far been disclosed only to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Chief Justice Ahmed Muhthasim Adnan and Nasheed. It is based on the information gathered by the 241 committee of the parliament through the heads of the security services and other government agencies.
The report contains very detailed information about what happened before, on the day of and after the attack on Nasheed and highlighted gross negligence in the security of Nasheed by the defence ministry. The report, when posted on the parliament's website, was published with some sections omitted for security reasons.
