Speaking on private TV channel DhiTV Monday evening, the vice president said “some people” had been “caught up” in their previous comments referring to “command centres, white rope and ladders”. He did not name anyone. But the vice president was seen as referring to comments previously made by home minister Umar, who is heading a special enquiry commission investigating the blast. Umar had called his supporters during an opposition demonstration outside the central bank building in capital Male in 2012 to climb the walls of army headquarters using ladders. He was charged with inciting violence, but the charges were later dropped. The “white rope” reference relates to comments made by the minister during his bitter fought campaign during the Progressive Party of Maldives’ (PPM) primary ahead of the 2013 presidential elections. Umar, vying for party ticket with then party frontrunner Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, made the reference in relation to corruption allegations against Yameen. Asked about his public display of dissatisfaction, the vice president said Tuesday that his comments were “not because I’ve anything against” Umar. The comments were not only directed at the home minister, but were general and applied to every politician, he added. “I was stressing on the point that some people with political ambitions are trying to kill my personality. I don’t want to pin point anyone in particular. I was saying that the investigation should be carried out in a practical manner and that it shouldn’t be politicised,” the vice president told reporters at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) before departing to China on an official visit. The vice president stressed that Umar was capable of leading an impartial investigation into the blast. Vice President Adheeb also reiterated that attacks such as the one aimed at the president should be thoroughly investigated and those responsible brought to justice. Investigations into such matters should not be carried out by politicians, he insisted. “Even last night, I pointed some previous instances, like after [the power transfer on] February 7, [2012], where some people had tried to politicise matters and take credit for certain things,” the vice president, who is due to attend the Maldives Investment Forum and a conference on China’s proposed maritime Silk Route in Chinese capital Beijing, said. President Yameen and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim were travelling to Male from the airport, which is located on the nearby island of Hulhule, on September 28 when the explosion took place. They had returned home that morning after concluding their visit to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual hajj pilgrimage. The president was unhurt, but the first lady suffered a spinal fracture while presidential secretary Fathimath Mohamed Solih and bodyguard Abdu Nasir received minor injuries including burns. The first lady still remains in hospital. The blast is being investigated by a special enquiry commission set up by the president and headed by home minister Umar. Apart from releasing video footage of the incident, the commission has not revealed much detail. But it had been confirmed that two army officers with links to the armoury had been taken into custody, and are now in remand for 15 days. Haveeru has found that the speedboat had been secured by the army for about two hours after the explosion. Sources say that the two army officers had gone on-board without authorisation and are accused of trying to destroy evidence. The government, meanwhile, has said the explosion could be a targeted attack on the president -- an assertion backed by a team of experts from Sri Lanka assisting the investigation. Forensic experts from Saudi Arabia, FBI, India and Australia are also assisting the probe. The claims of a possible assassination attempt have also prompted President Yameen to take extra measures to bolster security. In a major security shakeup, the president has replaced the police intelligence chief, the armoury chief and the head of personal security in the past week. Meanwhile, Vice President Adheeb dismissed last week rumours and opposition claims that he had orchestrated the blast. Sunday evening’s interview was the second time he had sought out to deflect rumours linking him to the explosion. The accusations concerning Vice President Adheeb, who came to the post in July in a dramatic change of events that saw the impeachment of then vice president Abdulla Jameel Ahmed, have been further fuelled by his absence that day to greet the president on his return to the country. The vice president, however, maintains that he was too ill to travel to the airport to greet the president. The vice president was absent from the president’s meeting with the parliamentarians Monday further fuelling reports that he had been side-lined following the blast. Since the explosion, he had attended only two official functions and had cancelled several pre-planned appointments. Vice President Adheeb was notably absent from the meeting Sunday between President Yameen and visiting Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. He also did not attend a function Sunday evening to rebrand Herathera resort. President Yameen, meanwhile, met Monday with parliamentarians from his party and some from the opposition in what is seen as extraordinary measures being taken by his government after the explosion. Members from the ruling PPM and its coalition partner, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) attended the meeting called by the president. Maamingili MP Gasim Ibrahim and some members from his opposition-aligned Jumhoory Party (JP), including Kinbidhoo MP Abdulla Riyaz and Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain, also participated in the meeting that took place at the presidential residence of Muleeage Monday afternoon. Details of the discussions at the meeting have not been officially released, but individual members who attended it told Haveeru that the president too dismissed allegations connecting Vice President Adheeb to the blast. According to some MPs, the president had shared extensive information relating to the incident. "The president repeatedly said he trusted Adeeb 500 percent," one MP told Haveeru. But president insisted that the explosion was a "pre-planned attack," the MP added.