There is no threat of a terror attack on tourists visiting the Maldives, the tourism minister has said, after the United States cautioned its citizens over travelling to the popular holiday destination.
Moosa Zameer told Mihaaru the Maldives regarded the safety of tourists with the utmost importance, adding there was no information to indicate a potential terrorist attack.
“We will continue to take all possible measures to ensure the security and safety of tourists following this advisory. So far we do not have any reports of a threat to the Maldives. There is no danger to tourists,” Zameer said.
In a travel advisory issued Wednesday, the US State Department said “terrorist groups may conduct attacks with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, market/shopping malls and local government facilities”. It added that “attacks may occur on remote islands which could lengthen the response time”.
In November, two people were charged with planning to carry out a bomb attack in the capital, Malé. The two suspects are alleged to be affiliated with the Islamic State group, according to reports.
The opposition claims as many as 200 Maldivians are fighting in extremist groups in Syria and Iraq. However, the government claims the opposition is inflating the figure to lobby international support for its cause, offering various lower estimates and decrying damage to the economy due to “exaggerated” claims.
In September, the Maldives also downplayed the UK’s caution of a “very likely terror attack”.
This commentator and many others have been predicting a slow but sure marginalized holiday destination in the Maldives.
The government and especially the mentally challenged Tourism Minister just do not get it!
The UK and USA and the Chinese intelligence agencies do not merely read Twitter they have undercover operatives in every corner of the world, watching! Its in their interests to do so and since the Tunisia Atrocity its paramount to make sure their citizens are safe.
In Tunisia, the police and armed forces were literally minutes away and despite knowing exactly what was going on took no immediate action. It is being proved they PURPOSELY delayed their response.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jan/16/tunisia-attack-police-deliberately-delayed-arrival-inquest-to-hear
This has resulted in a world-wide severe distrust of Islamic countries hosting non-islamic tourists being able or even worse, unwilling to ensure their safety and especially if the terrorist is a local or a citizen of that Islsmic country.
The Police in the Maldives are hardly competent. They and some army suffered massive losses tackling some armed criminals some years ago.
They have no combat training other than pepper spraying people in the street. Indeed the competence of the army and police has just been brought into further focus recently in that Yameen had to employ SPECIAL OPS troops to disperse peacful unarmed protesters.
What the Maldivian Government do not realise is that foreign intelligence look at ALL factors. They watch the drama queen antics of a paranoid President suppressing all opposition MPs and peaceful protest of the population.
A politically unstable country is NOT A SAFE country.
They thought merely criticising the UN and pulling out of the Commonwealth ignoring International Human Rights Organisations would somehow give them credibility, do not realise the power of their critics.
Now they are reaping the consequences. Chinese Tourists are already in severe decline. USA tourists are in a minority anyway but will now be a rarity. The USA directive carries a lot of weight with its own citizens and others around the world. Its now at level TWO the next one is a DO NOT TRAVEL as with the UK and…Europe will soon follow.
It is doubted that the Maldivian Police or armed forces would react with dynamic promptness or any competency to a severe incident even it happened in the North Male or the northern part of the South Male atolls.
But they did raid a resort looking for alchohol and pork so who knows?
But its more likely a criminal or terrorist group would hit the more remote atolls and the top resorts residing there like Soneva Jani and Cheval Blanc. Its more than likely the Maldivian Forces would arrange not to turn up until it is too late or most likely, not at all.
The most likely source of help would be a response from an Indian Task Force but that could take a minimum of 6 hours. The second, maybe Chinese forces but that could take 12-24 hours.
Hardly encouraging for peace of mind for potential tourists when they see the whole of the Maldivian police and army totally absorbed just keeping 150000 Male City citizens suppressed with no capacity to protect the lifeblood of the Maldives economy, the tourists in remote resorts.
The end is close Mr President.
Your actions to ‘fix’ the election wil doom the Maldives to ruin.
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