Nasheed arrives in UK for surgery

Ailing former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed on Thursday arrived here for treatment after he was granted 30-day prison leave by the government to undergo an urgent spinal cord surgery.

Nasheed, 48, who has been jailed for 13 years under anti-terror laws, landed at Heathrow Airport after a brief stop over in Sri Lanka, following his release by the Maldivian government for medical treatment in the UK.

Reports said that Nasheed is due to meet his lawyer Amal Clooney, wife of Hollywood star George Clooney.

Following an international intervention, Nasheed left the Maldives on Monday for Sri Lanka after resolving a last-minute legal dispute with the government over his 30-day release for the surgery in the UK.

Nasheed was supposed to leave on Sunday after a deal brokered by diplomats from India and Sri Lanka as well as Britain, but his departure was delayed as the government imposed new conditions on his trip. The Maldivian government was insisting that he nominate a family member to stay in Male to guarantee his return. Nasheed initially refused this proposal, but finally agreed to the offer.