மாலத்தீவுகளிலும் இஸ்லாமிய பயங்கரவாதம், சுற்றுலா பயணிகள் மீது வெடிகுண்டு தாக்குதல்

மாலத்தீவுகள் முழுக்க இஸ்லாமிய நாடு. அங்கு சுற்றுலாதான் ஒரே தொழில்.

அங்கு சுற்றுலா பயணிகள் வருவது இஸ்லாமுக்கு எதிரானது என்று கருதும் இஸ்லாமிய பயங்கரவாதிகள் சுற்றுலா பயணிகளை தாக்க ஆரம்பித்திருக்கிறார்கள்.

Malé Explosion Injures Twelve Tourists
By Ajay Makan
September 29, 2007

Twelve tourists have been injured in an explosion in the Malé’s Sultan Park, in what appears to be a planned attack on the Maldives Tourism industry.

A small explosion took place at the entrance to the park, near the northern edge of the island at 2.36pm.

One Brit, one Japanese and eight Chinese tourists have been confirmed among the injured. All are believed to be from the Full Moon, Baros and Soneva resorts.

Unofficial reports from the Foreign Ministry say two British nationals are seriously injured, while the other nationals only have superficial wounds. No one is believed to be in a critical condition.

The Tourism Minister Dr Mohamed Shougee spoke to Minivan News from the IGMH hospital moments ago, where he is assessing the seriousness of injuries. He said a full statement will be released by the Information Ministry within two hours (by 19:45).

Some local media report the explosion was triggered by a home made device involving a mobile phone and washing machine motor attached to a gas cylinder. Witnesses report seeing nails scattered in the park, before the area was cleared by security personnel.

The Maldives receives over five hundred thousand tourists a year, and the industry is the lynchpin of the country’s $1 billion economy.

The Maldives is known as a tranquil island getaway and the capital has not seen explosions or gunfire since an attempted coup in 1988.

The government is refusing to speculate officially on motives for the attack.

But one official told Minivan News the attack on the seventeenth day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, coincides with the battle of Badar, fought by the prophet Mohamed against the Meccans.
“This looks like an attack by jihadists on our tourism industry,” the source said.

Tourists to the Maldives must stay on resort islands and relatively few visit the capital Malé. But the Sultan Park, adjacent to Malé’s main mosque, is visited by all tour groups.

The Sultan Park is in the shadow of the Maldives army headquarters, and several surveillance cameras are trained on the area.