A large police and military operation shook the Malé area late Monday night, stretching into Tuesday morning, with three people arrested. The Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) called it a “national security” matter, saying they acted on secret information about a possible terrorist attack in the capital. This is the first big anti-terrorism move since President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu took office in November 2023.
The operation started just before midnight. Masked police officers and soldiers in special gear spread across Malé, searching homes, garages, apartments, and vehicles. It began after the police got a tip from their Intelligence Unit. At 10:35 p.m. on Monday, MPS posted on social media about a special operation with the MNDF. But soon after, at 10:56 p.m., they took the post down, saying they needed to check sensitive details. They promised to share more once everything was clear.
The police gave a short update. One of the arrested was a lorry driver, stopped near Republic Square. Officers searched his home while he was there. Some say he was planning attacks in Malé and nearby islands. At Shabnam Magu, soldiers were seen taking items from a house. Another arrest happened after a raid on a different home. The police also checked two more houses, a garage, an apartment in Hulhumalé, and several vehicles.
This sudden operation surprised many in Malé. But not everyone trusts the government’s story. Some think it’s a trick to hide other problems. People are asking if this is a way to take attention off a 15 billion MVR money-printing scandal or the suspension of Supreme Court justices for unclear reasons. Others fear it might lead to a state of emergency.
Mariya Didi, a former defence minister, spoke about the raids. She said they bring back bad memories—like when a gun was found in an official’s house in 2015, hidden weapons were discovered on an empty island, and bomb threats hit Malé years ago, causing an emergency. On X, she wrote, “It feels like the same people are still in charge of the government and security!”
The money-printing issue is also heating up. Ahmed Zayan Mohamed, who worked at the Finance Ministry and served on the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) board, resigned. At the same time, a no-confidence motion was filed against Ahmed Imad, the MMA deputy governor, in Parliament. Both had clashed with the government over plans to print more money, which has caused a lot of arguments.
Right now, this operation has left people with more questions than answers. Was it really about stopping terrorism, or is it a way to cover up bigger issues ?
