On 6 May 2021, an assassination attempt was made against Maldivian Speaker of the People's Majlis and former president Mohamed Nasheed near his home in Malé. At 20:39 MVT (), a homemade explosive device planted on a parked motorcycle exploded, injuring Nasheed and four others. Maldivian authorities allege it to be a terrorist attack by religious 'extremists'. Three suspects have been arrested. The arrested suspects denied being involved; all three of them had prior criminal records.
Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih described the explosion as "an attack on Maldives' democracy and economy" and has promised a "swift and thorough" investigation, warning that the perpetrators will "face the full force of the law".
The explosion occurred on 6 May 2021, while Nasheed was getting into his car. He sustained injuries and underwent surgery in ADK hospital. Two of Nasheed's bodyguards and two bystanders, one of whom was a British national, were also injured. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Police Commissioner Mohamed Hameed said 450 officers had been deployed to investigate. Two experts from the Australian Federal Police were to be involved in the inquiry. This was the second time Australian authorities have helped the Maldives with an alleged assassination attempt, after a 2015 investigation into an explosion on then-President Abdulla Yameen's speedboat, while officials from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United States Department of State had also offered support. Officials close to Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) told Agence France-Presse (AFP) they believed he may have been targeted in retaliation for his anti-corruption campaign.
On 9 May 2021, Maldives police announced they had arrested their "prime suspect"âÂÂAdhuham Ahmed RasheedâÂÂalong with Mujaz Ahmed and Thahmeen Ahmed. The police attributed the attack to "religious extremists". The arrested suspects denied being involved; all three of them had prior criminal records. On the same day, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security Services began an inquiry into how Nasheed's security was breached. On 10 May, President Solih announced that a special team had been formed in the Prosecutor General's Office to handle the court case.
During 18âÂÂ28 May, Police arrested Abdulla Ali Manik for spreading allegedly spreading extremist ideology, Ahmed Fathih for allegedly helping Adhuham escape the scene using his motorcycle, Mohamed Nazim, Hassan Yaseen, Mohamed Zumal Zareer, Ali Haisham, and three other suspected extremists.
On 6 July, Ishaq and Fahmy Ali were arrested.
On 11 July, the People's Majlis' Committee on National Security Services presented thenâÂÂpresident Ibrahim Mohamed Solih with the inquiry report on the terror attack against Nasheed. The report which included recommendations was published on the People's Majlis website.
On 21 July, Police completed their investigation and submitted charges to the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) against Adham, Mujaz, and Thahumeen.
On 24 July, Police arrested Mohamed Thasleem and was accused of manufacturing the IED and leading an extremist cell targeting Nasheed. On the same day, police revealed that Ali Haisham, Fahmy Ali, Ishaq, Abdulla Ali Manik, Mohamed Thasleem, and Mohamed Nazim were formally accused in relation to the case.
On 3 August, Adhuham was charged with terrorism, conspiracy, supporting a terrorist group, and attempted murder, which he pleaded guilty and signed a plea deal and the charges were reduced to terrorism and supporting a terrorist group; Mujaz was charged with terrorism and aiding a futigive; Thahumeen was charged with terrorism, conspiracy, support for a terrorist group, and transporting explosives; Haisham was charged with terrorism, conspiracy, and transporting explosives.
Yaseen and Zumal had been charged with supporting or being a part of a terrorist association.
The government has said that the suspects arrested are supporters of ISIS.
On 6 August, Ahmed Fathih was released due to lack of evidence.
On 16 August, a three-judge panel was formed to hear the case, consisting of Adam Mohamed, Sofwath Habeeb, and Mohamed Misbah.
On 25 August, Yaseen denied all charges against him.
On 13 September, Fahmy was charged with participation in an act of terrorism; Nazim was charged with conspiracy to commit terrorism; Ishaq was charged with transporting explosives, conspiracy, and participation in terrorism.
On 21 September, Adhuham plead guilty to all the charges. Mujaz, Thahumeen, and Haisham denied the charges and their trials were held separately from Adhuham since he accepted the plea deal.
On 21 October, Haisham, Fahmy and Nazim plead not guilty in their second preliminary hearing and the court denied their request for a closed-door trial. Thasleem and Manik were charged with for supporting a terrorist group.
On 14 December, Adhuham was sentenced to twenty three years, six months, and nine days in prison.
On 9 January 2022, Thasleem and Abdulla Ali Manik has denied their charges and claimed that they can't be supporters as ISIS was defunct, which on 26 January, the court disagreed.
On 16 March, Nazim, Yaseen, and Zumal denied charges of supporting extremism although having ISIS propaganda in possession.
On 28 March, first evidence was presented against Thasleem and Manik were presented. The court announced future hearing dates.
On 15 May, trial schedules for the remaining defendants were announced, the prosecution requested confidentiality for twenty two evidence pieces with the defence requesting the same for six.
On 12 June, Judge Adam Mohamed recused himself from the bench after announcing that Ishaq sent him a letter which stated that his son threatened the judge during the trial of Yameen RasheedâÂÂa blogger who got murderedâÂÂwhich one of the defendants was his uncle.
On 15 June, Police alleged that Thasleem was identified as the IED expert and Manik attacked three tourists in 2020 as revenge for the state taking custody of his kids for not completing vaccinations and sending them to school.
On 21 June, Judge Dheebanaz Fahumy was appointed as the chair of the bench.
On 24 August, Judge Hussain Faiz replaced Judge Dheebanaz Fahumy as she was appointed to the High Court.
On 28 November, the judge panel was dissolved and the case was reassigned to Judge Sofwath Habeeb,
The Criminal Court has scheduled to give a verdict before 31 August 2023.
On 21 May 2023, the Criminal Court rejected two of Thahmeen's witnesses, which the High Court ordered the Criminal Court to accept the witnesses.
In September, Abdulla Ali Manik was found guilty of supporting a terrorist organization and Ahmed Thasleem was acquited of his charge.
In December, the PGO appealed against Thasleem's acquital.
Concerns were raised by Abbas FaizâÂÂspecial envoy to the Maldivian government to monitor the investigation, prosecution, and trial process of the terrorist attack against NasheedâÂÂabout the delays in the trials of the suspects involved in the case. He noted that "Only one case received a trail [sic]. Others only in pre-trial stage." In response, the Criminal Court has said that the case is being delayed as one of the judges is on leave.
Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem had also raised concerns over delays. Additionally, the People's Majlis (parliament) raised concerns and described 6 May as a "dark day in Maldivian history."
In May 2022, a hearing was cancelled due to bad weather delays in transporting the prisoners. Nasheed's lawyers condemned this and has said "using the bad weather as an excuse was unacceptable".
Abbas Faiz had additionally raised concerns again in 2023 after stating that the "judicial authorities have not offered him an acceptable reason for the delay in the trial."
Nasheed underwent 16 hours of surgery for injuries to his head, chest, abdomen, and limbs. Multiple pieces of shrapnel were removed during surgery, including one lodged a centimetre away from his heart. Agence France-Presse also reported that the bomb was filled with ball bearings to increase the damage caused. By 8 May, Nasheed's condition had improved so that he could be taken off life support, although he remained in intensive care. His condition remained stable, and he recovered after undergoing multiple emergency surgeries. The hospital treating the former president said he was in a critical condition in intensive care on 7 May after surgery to his head, chest, abdomen and limbs.
On 13 May 2021, Nasheed was flown to Germany for further medical treatment after being seriously injured along with three other people. He returned to the country on 11 October 2021, and resumed his duties as speaker.