Recommended:

Peace returns after Maldives leader quits amid protests

Maldivian police said on Thursday that they had received an order to arrest former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Police spokesman Abdul Mannan Yoosuf told Xinhua that Nasheed would be arrested within Thursday together with former defence minister.

"We have obtained an order from the Criminal Court to arrest former president," said Yoosuf.

"On security reasons, we can not reveal on what allegation the arrest is to be made,"he added.

The arrest order was made following a string of arson attacks on police stations and court houses by supporters of Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Wednesday.