Male, Jun 7 (IANS): The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has identified a fifth suspect involved in the terror attack against former President Mohamed Nasheed, local media reported on Monday.

Police Superintendent Mohamed Basheer told reporters that investigations have found a fifth suspect involved in the May 6 attack in Male, reports Xinhua news agency.

The suspect had been in custody after being arrested in an anti-terrorism sweep conducted by the MPS following the attack which left Nasheed, also the incumbent Parliament Speaker, critically injured.

The MPS also revealed that they had searched 25 locations and received information from 150 individuals over the course of their investigations into the attack.

Despite the progress, the investigations were slowed down due to suspects and investigators contracting the Covid-19 virus, Basheer said.

Previously, four individuals had been arrested in connection to the triggering of a remote-controlled improvised explosive device that was planted in a motorbike parked near Nasheed's vehicl.

Those arrested included the individual suspected of triggering the device and the owner of the motorcycle.

Speaker Nasheed had to undergo multiple life-saving surgeries to his head, chest, abdomen, and limbs at the ADK Hospital in Male before being transferred to Germany for recovery.