Counter-terrorism centre defines extremist ideology

The National Counter-Terrorism Centre on Sunday offered a definition of extremist ideology with a guideline on how to identify hardliners.

“Extremist ideology denies in words and deeds the spirit of the constitution, legal principles and societal norms, and becomes harsh, violent and cruel in advocating against them,” the NCTC explained in a statement.

The official definition came amidst a crackdown on radical groups after the police chief revealed that there were about 1,400 extremists in the Maldives who would not hesitate to kill in the name of Islam.

The NCTC also provided a list of defining traits:

1. Extremists consider those who do not share their views to be non-Muslims, and encourage theft of property and bodily harm as both permissible and obligatory
2. Extremists call the Maldives an infidel state and deny Maldivian nationhood
3. Extremists consider the Maldives constitution to be void, advocate that view, contravene all laws and regulations, deny Maldivian culture and age-old traditions, disrupt social unity and try to create divisions. As such they a) refuse to accept the national flag, logo and anthem, b) refuse to accept the national education curriculum or send children to school, c) advocate in favour of this ideology, d) deprive children of international health standards and spread a ruinous ideology that endangers coming generations, e) weaken women and children in disregard of human rights and sexually abuse young children in the name of marriage