MALDIVES: BOMBING INVESTIGATION YIELDING RESULTS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001400 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, SCA/RA, AND S/CT E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2017 TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL PHUM MV SUBJECT: MALDIVES: BOMBING INVESTIGATION YIELDING RESULTS REF: COLOMBO 1348 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Maldivian police have made impressive progress on investigating the bombing in Male' on September 29 (reftel). All remaining suspects in the incident are Maldivian. The site of the bombing has been reopened to the public following the completion of the crime scene investigation. On October 6, police rounded up 50 members of a radical Islamic group on Himandhoo Island. Defense Minister Ismail Shafeeu told Ambassador on October 9, however, that the link, if any, between the Himandhoo militants and the bombing is unclear. ALAT and an FBI team departed Male' on October 7. The Maldivian Government has requested additional FBI assistance analyzing data obtained from seized SIM cards. We are impressed by the professionalism and competence displayed by the Maldivian security forces during this investigation. We will continue to follow their progress and to provide any assistance we can. End Summary. Maldivian Police Making Good Progress -------------- ¶2. (S) The Maldivian police have made impressive progress on investigating the bombing in Male' on September 29 (reftel). Numerous suspects have been picked up based on the cell phones and SIM cards recovered from the bomb. Detained individuals have provided helpful information and have named additional accomplices. Police are beginning to execute search warrants on homes, shared dwellings, and businesses based on detainees' statements. Several individuals held for questioning are members of the same unregistered mosque in Male'. All remaining suspects in the incident are Maldivian. The involvement of several Bangladeshis was ruled out when police learned that their identities had likely been used without their knowledge to procure SIM cards. Eleven suspects remain in custody, and LEGATT reports that the police are working to locate two additional suspects who may still be in country. At least 8 suspects have fled the country, but Maldivian authorities have their names, dates of birth, and passport numbers, and are working to track them. The police have extensive video footage of the attack, including of the individual who planted and detonated the bomb, from closed circuit television cameras located around Sultan Park. The site of the bombing has been reopened to the public following the completion of the crime scene investigation. ¶3. (C) The Maldivian police, with FBI assistance, were able to determine that the bomb was constructed of locally available materials. The cell phone detonation techniques, however, reflect a level of sophistication that suggests the culprits may have received outside training or assistance. Police Round Up Members of "Wahhabi" Group -------------- ¶4. (C) On October 6, police rounded up 50 members of a radical Islamic group on Himandhoo Island. Nearly 100 security personnel searched each house on the island. They were confronted at one compound by a group of around 70 masked men armed with crude weapons, including iron rods and wooden planks. The men were part of a group engaged in "radical religious activities" and refused to recognize the Government's religious authority, according to a Government spokeswomen. Several security officers were injured during the clash. ¶5. (C) Defense Minister Ismail Shafeeu told Ambassador on October 9 that it was important to distinguish between the Male bombing and Himandhoo incidents. The Himandhoo situation has been developing for several months, he said, and the link, if any, between the Himandhoo militants and the COLOMBO 00001400 002 OF 002 bombing is unclear. He noted that the public's impression of the militants on Himandhoo, which he described as a Wahhabi offshoot cult, is that they "don't act like Maldivians." They dress differently, in the traditional Wahhabi style short pants, and are militant. Even members of the fundamentalist Adaalath Party, which supports some Wahhabi thinking, has rejected violence. The Minister said the island is back to normal for now, but added that the Government must do some "soul searching" to understand why these groups are cropping up. When asked if these militants might have any motivation to attack tourists, he said "they are not after tourists, they hate everybody." FBI Providing Valuable Assistance -------------- ¶6. (C) ALAT and an FBI team including a senior extraterritorial investigator, a crime scene investigator, a bomb technician, and two explosives experts, departed Male' on October 7. Prior to their departure, the team gave a briefing to the Maldivian investigators on the FBI's findings and provided tips on how to improve their post-blast crime scene processing procedures. Some evidence will be sent to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia for further analysis. One FBI analyst remains in Male to help compile and interpret telephonic data collected by the Maldives Police Service. The Maldivian Government has requested additional FBI assistance with analyzing data obtained from seized SIM cards. If LEGATT is unable to provide this assistance, the records will be sent to FBI headquarters for analysis. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: We are impressed by the professionalism and competence displayed by the Maldivian security forces. We will continue to follow their progress and to provide any assistance we can. The Defense Minister is one of the most moderate and thoughtful Ministers remaining in the Government. His assessment of the Himandhoo group seems plausible, and it is encouraging that the Government is not rushing to blame the bombing on the group. BLAKE