DRP Warns Of Potential Presidential Assassination Plot

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Article Tools

Main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (the DRP) have announced that they have received warning of a foreign country’s plans to assassinate President Mohamed Nasheed and certain active leaders in the country’s political arena.

During a news conference Sunday afternoon, deputy leader of DRP Umar Naseer said that on Saturday, they had received news of an attack on the Maldives that was being planned by a foreign country. On having received such news: DRP, having had conferred amongst themselves regarding the matter and recognizing the threat to national security, had informed the government via telephone calls to Police Commissioner Ahmed Faseeh and the Chief of the Defence Force Moosa Ali Jaleel at midnight.

Ruling Party Maldivian Democratic Party (the MDP) have initiated an investigation into this matter.

In an anonymous letter sent to the DRP’s deputy leader Ahmed Mahloof’s home, the list of targets, according to the DRP, includes; President Mohamed Nasheed, Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, Hinnavaru MP MDP member Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim, Mulaku MP Abdulla Yamin, leader of the DRP Ahmed Thasmeen, DRP members Ilham Ahmed, Umar Naseer, Ahmed Mahloof, Ali Waheed, Former Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, UN Resident Co-ordinator Andrew Cox, Former Supreme Court Justice Mujuthaaz Fahmy, and Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed.

DRP announced that though the validity of this information remained in question, and though the identity of this foreign country was unknown, it was their obligation to inform the government and the citizenry via the media to prevent another attack such as the one on November 3, 1988. Although the government had had full knowledge of the imminence of such an attack, said DRP, it had failed to take such information seriously and had failed to take the proper measures.

Similarly, since the present information hints at threats to national security; witholding information from the government and the public could lead to disaster, said DRP.

Speaking at this news conference the deputy leader of DRP, Gemanafushi MP and the Member of the Committee for National Security of the Citizen’s Majlis Ilham Ahmed said that this matter has been submitted for discussion at the Committee for National Security at 12.30 today.

With the presence of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the Police Service, all efforts required to determine the veracity of this information would be implemented by the Committee.

Further reasons for concern cited by DRP, regardless of the veracity of the information, related to the increased illegal smuggling of suspected weapons into the country, and the fact that one of the leaders of the November 3 attacks, Luthufee, has been living outside the country for more than three months.

In addition, though DRP claim that 22 possible participants in this attack are currently stationed inside the country, their identities or whereabouts are unknown.

Though MNDF have confirmed their participation in the investigation of the matter, the Police Service had no comment.

Skip to News

« back