Maldives former president Mohamed Nasheed arrested on terrorism charges

Police in the Maldives have arrested former president Mohamed Nasheed under an anti-terror law for the alleged illegal detention of a criminal court judge when he was in power more than three years ago.

Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected president who now leads the main opposition party, was taken into custody in the capital island of Male, police said.

As he was being taken to the nearby Dhoonidhoo prison islet, hundreds of his supporters clashed with police who used pepper spray to keep them at bay.

Nasheed came to power in 2008 and stepped down four years later following a police and military mutiny.

An arrest warrant for Nasheed described him as a flight risk.

Last week, the state prosecutor dropped the charges of abuse of power against Nasheed for allegedly ordering the arrest of the then-criminal court chief judge Abdullah Mohamed in January 2012.

However, he was charged again yesterday under tougher anti-terrorism laws with the same allegation - ordering the arrest and detention of Abdullah Mohamed, who had been accused of corruption.