Headquarters of extremists in Male’ - Adhaalath

21 October 2007
Report : Soodh


The President of Adhaalath Party Sheikh Hussain Rasheed has said that headquarters of the religious hardliners are in Male’.

Speaking to Velidhoo News Sheikh Hussain Rasheed said that these religious hardliners are all over the country. There are various types of hardliners among them.

“The most extreme people among them are those who believe the rest of the people are all infidels, while there are some in Himandhoo there are others in Male’,and in this regard I have information that the headquarters of these hardliners are in Male” said Sheikh Rasheed.

Adhaalath Party has offered to assist the government in their efforts to bring back these extremists to mainstream Islamic thinking said Sheikh Rasheed, President of the Adhaalath Party.

“In this regard, we have told Adam Zahir, last year, that by putting Himandhooans in to jail would not reform them and that we were ready to talk to them, we have to persuade them to change their thinking” said the Sheikh Hussain Rasheed. Sheikh noted that he did not get a positive response.

Sheikh Hussain Rasheed says that he has asked the Home Ministry for assistance in their attempts to covert the hardliners to a more moderate thinking. He further said the issue can only be solved with the full cooperation of the government. He noted that media can play an important role too. The dissemination of religious information can go a long way in achieving a solution to the problem says the Sheikh.

The Sheikh says the problem inflated to its present status due the negligence of the government. “They were not provided with correct information when they most needed it; these breakaway groups are a result of issues related to mosques, some these mosques are built on former burial grounds, that is how it starts and then they form groups” says Sheikh Hussain Rasheed.

Adhaalath Party is distributing religious information on various topics in CD’s to different islands.

Although not officially confirmed there groups of religious hardliners in Haa Dhaalu Vaikaradhu, Alifu Alifu Ukulas and in Kaafu Gaafaru.