Arrest Warrant Issued for Former Maldives Leader

Posted February 9th, 2012 at 6:00 am (UTC-5)
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A criminal court in the Maldives has issued an arrest warrant for former president Mohamed Nasheed who stepped down from office earlier this week.

An official from Mr. Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party say the court has given the order to arrest Mr. Nasheed and his former defense minister, but that the charges against them remain unclear.

On Wednesday, clashes between police and supporters of Mr. Nasheed spread throughout the capital Male to several outlying islands.

Mr. Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected president, resigned Tuesday after numerous calls by protesters and mutinous police officers for him to step down.

He later described it as a coup attempt and accused the new President Mohammed Waheed Hassan, his former second-in-command, of being involved.

Mr. Hassan has denied the allegations.