Bomb Explodes At Tourist Spot In The Maldives.

[JimsKnight]

Read in the telegraph (UK) today about a bomb going off in the Maldives. I hope that Thailand will be ok and that there won't be any targeting of tourist spots here in LOS.

(Cdr George, I tried posting this in the news section but to no avail, hence it being here)

The news story is below:

Source : The Australian

Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent | October 01, 2007

TWO men have been arrested after a nail-packed bomb injured 12 tourists in the Maldives, including a Briton who worked as a security consultant during the Sydney Olympics.

The homemade bomb detonated outside crowded Sultan Park in the capital, Male, on Saturday -- the first such attack on the Indian Ocean archipelago renowned for its exclusive tourist resorts.

Authorities believe the bomb targeted tourists on a guided visit to Male, a 2.4sqkm island.

The injured included two Britons on a honeymooon, eight Chinese and two Japanese, all of whom suffered burn injuries, said government spokesman Mohamed Shareef.

Briton Christian Donelan, 32, and his wife, Jennifer, were thought to have been on their honeymoon after a wedding in Italy two weeks ago.

Reports said they were close to the blast and the most seriously injured of the victims.

Mr Donelan, who has represented England four times at squash, was quoted as saying: "It could have been much worse. Thank God we are still alive."

He has undergone surgery to treat burns to his arms and legs.

His wife suffered more serious burns but both were conscious and able to speak to friends and family by phone.

Mr Donelan was a security consultant during the Sydney Olympics and the Turin Winter Olympics. The couple live in Qatar, where he is helping to organise the Asian Games.

The other victims were discharged from a hospital and left the country, Mr Shareef said.

"The Maldives has never had something like this before," he said. "We are taking this very seriously because tourism is our lifeblood."

The Maldives is one of the wealthiest countries in south Asia. About 600,000 tourists visit the country each year, accounting for one-third of its economy.

The two men were arrested hours after the blast. No motive for the attack had been established.

Some Western diplomats have expressed concern about the potential for violence in the Sunni Muslim country, which has a population of about 350,000. Half of the population is under 18, reasonably well educated and with few prospects for good jobs.

Some young people have turned to drug use, while others have embraced a conservative strain of Islam that had been almost unheard of on the islands until a few years ago.

The blast came after months of unrest in the Maldives over a referendum, won by President Mayoom Abdul Gayoom, who has ruled since 1978.

Voters had to decide between a presidential system of government favoured by Mr Gayoom, and a parliamentary system favoured by the opposition, which has complained of repression since Male was swept by anti-government riots in 2003.

Tourism Minister Mahamood Shougee said police were taking special measures to deal with the situation and witnesses said heavily increased security deployments were apparent on all government buildings.

Authorities will seek help from Interpol, the US and India in investigating the blast, Mr Shareef said.

Mr Gayoom is regarded as an efficient administrator who is responsible for the Maldives' spectacular success in the tourism industry.

Additional reporting: AP

[xyborg]

Will that be the same Gayoom who ran for his boat when the tsunami arrived leaving his happy subjects to fend for themselves whilst the capital lay under water?

I went there first in 1989 and kept going back for 10 years, nice and relaxing with real coral not Thailands knackered old cack.

[mikethevigoman]

Will that be the same Gayoom who ran for his boat when the tsunami arrived leaving his happy subjects to fend for themselves whilst the capital lay under water?

I went there first in 1989 and kept going back for 10 years, nice and relaxing with real coral not Thailands knackered old cack.

I went there with a girlfriend years ago, okay for couples,..but unless you are on honeymoon or dont like nightlife i wouldnt recomend it, after thailand i know ib be bored in 48 hours whoever i was with,.

[geriatrickid]

Ut oh, good way to piss off a populace that makes its key FX from tourism. What are these idiots thinking?

[JimsKnight]

For once I agree with you kid, a diver I knew went out there for a diving holiday.

It was quality, but you sure had to pay mega-bucks compared with Thailand.

The radical ways that some of the maldive folk are reputed (according to the Telegraph) to be influenced and the segregation that occurs between locals and foreigners is one reason that It's never appealed to me.

However for honey-mooners it is, or rather was, a nice destination.