Sultan Park Suspects On Run In Pakistan

By Ajay Makan
November 7, 2007

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The police say ten men linked to the September 29 Malé bomb blast are on the run in Pakistan, where several learnt bomb making techniques in militant madrassas.

The men are the “masterminds” behind the explosion, which injured twelve tourists, police spokesman Shiyam told Minivan News. All ten fled to Pakistan in the weeks preceding the attack.

Three other men in custody have told police they planted the device to, “target, attack and injure non-Muslims, to fulfill jihad.”

The ten men entered Pakistan via flights to Karachi in September, police say.

Several of the fugitives, as well as some of the suspects in custody, received training in bomb making in Pakistani madrassas, the police say. And the fugitives are now receiving support from, “associates in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.”

Extradition orders have been prepared and Pakistani police have been alerted through Interpol, although police said the problems faced by Pakistan, currently under emergency ruled and plagued by suicide bombers, will be “obstacles,” to apprehending the suspects.

Two of the suspects, Ali Shameem and Abdul Latheef Ibrahim, were on a travel blacklist of seven men thought to be planning to travel to Pakistan as jihadis.

CCTV footage showed the two men slipped out of the country on September 17 and 22, with the assistance of an immigration officer who has since been arrested.

The seven man list of potential jihadis was drawn up by the police in August, following, “tip offs,” from family members assistant police commission Abdullah Riyaz told Minivan News

Three other men on the list were detained in August, but released after judges ruled there was insufficient evidence to prolong detention.

The men are understood to remain at large, but Riyaz said, "they have not been suspected of anything in the Maldives."

He also defended a huge operation to find Shameem and Ibrahim in Laamu atoll Kalaidhoo, which took place before police realised the two men had skipped the country.

Police have asked the Attorney General’s Office to charge six men currently in detention, including one minor. The police say four of the men were directly involved in the attack, while two are associates.

The files of the ten fugitives will also be forwarded to the Attorney General’s office, and they may face trial in absentia.

None of the men so far named are from Himandhoo, the island where police arrested more than sixty men after an operation to detain suspects linked to the explosion.

But Riyaz told journalists, all those arrested, “are associated with Himandhoo.” The wife of one of the prime suspects has been traced to Himandhoo, while the police commissioner said all those in custody were known to worshippers at the island’s breakaway Dhar-al-khuir mosque, which police forcefully closed last month.

The confessions from three of the suspects provide final confirmation of an Islamic extremist motive behind the attack. President Gayoom had previously blamed opposition elements and even a British human rights campaign group.

“Government Must Not Overreact” Warns Advisor After Himandhoo Arrests

By Minivan News
October 21, 2007

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“In the fight against terrorism it is imperative that the Government does not overreact,” the Maldives’ counter terror advisor has warned.

Singapore based Al Quaeda expert Dr Rohan Gunaratna trains the Maldives police and is believed to have the ear of President Gayoom.

He told Minivan News that the Government has a “broad mandate” to fight Islamic extremism for the first time following the Male' September 29 bomb blast.

But following the arrest of sixty three men on Himandhoo after a bloody confrontation, he warns the President must not overplay his hand by taking excessive measures.

“The Malé explosion was an Islamist terror attack intended to kill as many tourists as possible,” Gunaratna insists.

In a report written immediately after the explosion, the head of the Centre for Political Violence at Nanyang University called for a “soft approach” to counter terrorism in the Maldives.

He identified the Supreme Islamic Council as the vehicle to reform religious dissidents through “community engagement and rehabilitation.”

But the Government has opted for a tough approach. The police have arrested up to a hundred people and President Gayoom has proposed draconian regulations including a ban on the full veil and foreign preachers.

The clerics of the Supreme Council are openly questioning Gayoom’s policies, and demanding demanding independence from the President’s office.

And now the secular opposition is also beginning to round on Government measures.

Ahmed Moosa (Sappé), a UK based representative of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, has told the BBC, the Government is “using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”

And there are increasing concerns about the treatment of detainees.

At least three men are in detention accused of carrying out the September 29 bomb attack, while scores more have been detained for breaking Religious Unity laws in the subsequent crackdown.

A police spokesman today said, “there is no need to worry, prisoners will be treated according to laws and regulations.”

But the police will not say whether detainees have been given access to lawyers, or how many are being held under terrorism charges, which would alter the rights.

“As far as we know none of those being held have had access to lawyers,” warns Shahinda Ismail, the coordinator of local NGO Maldivian Detainees Network, who tracks the treatment of prisoners facing trial.

ބޮމުގެ ހާދިސާގައި ފިލައިގެން އުޅޭ އަބްދުއްލަތީފް ގަމުގައި އުޅޭކަމަށް އެރަށު ބައެއްމީހުން ބުނަންފަށައިފި

21 October 2007 | Rania

ސެމްޓެންބަރ 29 ވަނަ ދުވަހު ސަލްޓަންޕާކްގައި ބާރުގަދަ އެއްޗެއް ގޮއްވާލި ހާދިސާއާއި ގުޅިގެން ޕޮލިހުންނަށް ފިލައިގެންއުޅޭ އަލީ ޝަމީމު، ށ، ކޮމަންޑޫ ދޫރެސް އާއި، ހައްދުންމަތީ ކަޅައިދޫ ގްރީންވިލާ އަބުދުއްލަތީފް އިބުރާހިމްގެ ތެރޭން ޢަބްދުއްލަތީފް ފިލައިގެން ލ. އަތޮޅު ގަމުގައި އުޅޭކަމަށް އެ ރަށުގެ ބައެއް މީހުން ބުނަމުންއެބަދެއެވެ. އިރު އޮބްޒާވަރަށް މަޢުލޫމާތު ދެމުން ނަންހާމަކުރަންބޭނުންނުވާ ގަމުގެ މީހަކު ބުނިގޮތުގައި މިއަދު ހެނދުނުގެ ވަގުތެއްގައި ގަމު ތުޑީގެ ބޯޅަދަނޑުކައިރީގައި ސުނާމީއަށްފަހު ހެދި ގެތައް ހިމެނޭ ސަރަހައްދުގެ ވަލުތެރެއަށް މީހަކު ވަންނަތަން ފެނިގެން މި މީހާ ހޯދުމަށް ޕޮލިހުން ކުރިމަސައްކަތުން އެމީހާ ނުފެނިފައިވާކަމަށެވެ. މަންޒަރުދުއްމީހަކު ބުނި ގޮތުގައި އެމީހާ ވަލަށް ވަނީ ކޮންމެ ވެސް އެއްޗެއް ހިފައިގެން ކަމަށެވެ. ލަފާކުރެވޭ ގޮތުގައި އެމީހާ ވަލަށް ވަނީ މީހަކަށް ކާއެއްޗެހި ދޭންވެގެން ކަމަށްވެސް އިރު އޮބްޒާވަރަށް މަޢުލޫމާތު ދެމުން އޭނާ ބުންޏެވެ. "އަބްދުއް ލަތީފް، އެ ސަރަހައްދުގައި އުޅޭކަމަށް މިރަށު ވަރަށް ގިނަމީހުންބުނޭ، ނަމަވެސް މިހާތަނަށް އެއްވެސް މީހަކަށް އޭނާ ފެނިފައެއް ނުވޭ، ކިހިނެއް ފެނުނަސް އެނގޭނީ، މީހުންބުނޭ އޭނާ އުޅެނީ މޫނުބުރުގާ އެޅިމީހުންގެ ތެރޭގައޭ އެގޮތައްހެދުން އަޅައިގެންނޭ. އޭނާ އެ ސަރަހައްދުގައި އުޅޭކަމަށް މިރަށުމީހުންގެ އިތުރުން މިރަށުގައި އުޅޭ ޕޮލިހުން ވެސް ބުނޭ" ނަން ހާމަކުރަން ބޭނުންނުވާ މީހާ ކިޔައިދިނެވެ. އެސަރަހައްދުގައި މުޅިންހެން އުޅޭނީ މޫނުބުރުގާ އަޅައިގެން ނިވައިވެގެން ތިބޭ މީހުންނާއި އެމީހުންގެ ފިރިންނާއި ދަރިން، އަދި އެނޫން މީސްމީހުން އެސަރަހައްދަށް ވަރަށް ނުދާ ކަމަށް އޭނާ ބުންޏެވެ. މި ކަމާއި ގުޅިގެން މޯލްޑިވްސް ޕޮލިސް ސަރވިސްއިން ހާމަކުރެއްވިގޮތުގައި ސަލްޓަން ޕާކްގެ ހާދިސާއާއި ގުޅިގެން ހޯދަން ބޭނުންވެ ނުފެނިފައިވާ ދެމީހުންނާއި މިކަމާއި ބެހޭ އިތުރު މީހެއްވޭތޯ ހޯދުމުގެ މަސައްކަތް މިހާރުވެސް ކުރަމުންދާ ކަމަށެވެ. އަދި އެމަސައްކަތްކުރިއަށްދަނީ ވަކިސަރަހައްދެއްގަޔޭ އަދި ހާމަކުރަން ދަތިކަމަށްވެސް ޕޮލިހުން ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

Parliament adopts Government resolution condemning 9/29 bombing

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| DATE: 2007-10-18 | PRINT | BOOKMARK
MALE, October 18, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- The Parliament on Wednesday adopted a resolution submitted by the Government which strongly condemned the September 29 bombing of Sultan Park in Male which injured 12 foreign tourists.

The resolution was tabled on October 2 and it was approved on Wednesday with 32 MPs supporting the motion while one MP declined to cast his vote.

The resolution called on the people to refrain from any act which may directly or indirectly cause injury and suffering to locals and foreigners.

The resolution called on the Parliament to strongly condemn such acts and call on the Maldivian people to assist law enforcement authorities in ensuring that such negative acts do not occur in Maldives again.

At the sitting Home Minister Abdulla Kamaluddin said that the Government is taking measures to ensure that authorities monitor actions of offenders more closely. He also said that generally the Government is trying its best to minimize the crime rate in the country.

The People\\\'s Special Majlis, the interim constitutional assembly tasked with amending the Constitution by November 30, earlier strongly condemned the 9/29 bombing.

Some lawmakers criticized the government for been too slack in dealing with the rise of extremism. They alleged that this inaction by the Government facilitated extremists to carry out their attack against the tourism industry, the mainstay of the economy.

Many lawmakers questioned why the Government was not taking things seriously as exploding of home-made devices have occurred across the archipelago even before, sometimes causing injury to the bomb makers.

ދިވެހިންގެ ތެރެއިން ބަޔަކު ދީނީގޮތުން ބައިބައި ވީ ކީއްވެ

Jazeera އަހުމަދު މުހުސިން އޮކްޓޫބަރ 15، 16:27 0 ޚިޔާލު

ދިވެހިންނަކީ, މާތްވެގެންވާ އިސްލާމް ދީން ޤަބޫލުކުރީންސުރެ އެދީން މަތީގައި ދެމިތިބި ބައެކެވެ. އެހެން އެއްވެސް ދީނެއް ދިވެހިންގެ ތެރެއަކަށް އޭގަފަހަކުން އައިހެއް ނުވެއެވެ. ދީނަށްޓަކައި ކޮންމެ ދިވެއްސަކުވެސް ލޯބި ކުރެއެވެ. ދީނަށް ފުރައްސާރަކޮށް ހަދާ މީހުންނަށް ދިވެހިފަސްގަނޑުން ޖާގަ ނުދިނުމުގެ އިތުރުން ދީނީ އިލްމުވެރިންނަށް އިހްތިރާމްކޮށް ކަމޭހިތައެވެ. އެއީ ވެރިއެއްވިއަސް އަދި އާދައިގެ މީހަކަށްވެސް އެމީހަކާމެދު ދިވެހިން ކޮށް އުޅޭ ހުކުމެވެ.

ނަމަވެސް ފަހަކަށް އައިސް އިވެމުންދާ އަޑަކީ ދީނީގޮތުން ބަޔަކު ބައިބައިވެއްޖެ ކަމުގެ ވާހަކައެވެ. ތަފާތުގޮތްތަކަށް އުޅެމުންދާ ވާހަކައެވެ. ދީނީގޮތުން އޮންނަ ވަރަށް ވުރެވެސް ”މައްޗަށް“ ނުވަތަ ”އޯވަރ“ ވެއްޖެ ވާހަކަ އެވެ. ދީނީގޮތުން ހަރުކަށިގޮތްތަކެއް ގެންގުޅެނީއޭ ނުވަތަ ހައްދުފަހަނަޅާ ދިޔައީވެސް ބައެއް މީހުން ބުނެއުޅެ އެވެ.

ދީނީގޮތުން އެފަދަ ހާލަތަކަށް ހިނގައްޖެނަމަ އެއީ މައްސަލައެކެވެ. އެކަމެއް ހައްލުކުރަން ޖެހެ އެވެ. ކަމެއް ހައްލުކުރުމަށް ބަލާއިރު އެންމެ ފަސޭހަގޮތެއް ކަމުގައި އޮންނަނީ އެކަމެއް އެހެންވާން މެދުވެރި ސަބަބެއް ހޯދުމެވެ. އެހެން ކަމަށް ވާނަމަ ބައެއް މީހުންނަށް އެ ”ލަޤަބުތައް“ މިހާރު ލިބެން އެޖެހުނީ ކީއްވެތޯ ބަލަން ޖެހެ އެވެ.

”ދީނީ ހޭލުންތެރިކަން އަށަގެންނެވިފައި ނެތީ“ ރާއްޖޭގެ ދީނީ އިލްމުވެރިއަކު ބުންޏެވެ.

އެއީ ތެދެއް ކަމުގެ ހެކިތައް އެބަހުއްޓެވެ. އެއްކަމަކީ ރާއްޖޭގެ ތައުލީމީ އޮނިގަނޑު ތެރޭގައި ދަރިވަރުންނަށް ދީނީ ތައުލީމް ދެވޭލެއް ކުޑަކަމެވެ. ނޫންނަމަ އެއްވެސް ވަރަކަށް ދެވިފައި ނެތުމެވެ. އަމުދުން އޯލެވެލް ނިމި އޭލެވެލް ހަދައިގެން ނިކުންނަ ބައެއް ކުދިންނަކީ އަމިއްލައަށް ހިނާ ތޯހިރުވެލާ ނަމާދުގައި ކިޔާތަކެތި ފުރިހަމައަށް ކިޔާލަން އެނގޭ ކުދިންނަށް ނުވާކަމެވެ. މިކަމުގައި ޓީޗަރުންނަށް ކުރެވޭނެ ކަމެއް އޮތްހެނެއް ހިއެއް ނުވެއެވެ. އެވެރިންނަކަށް އެއްޗެއް އޮންނަގޮތް ބުނެދެވޭކަށް ނޯވެއެވެ. ”ސަރކިއުލާ“ އަށްވުރެ މައްޗަށްގޮސް ފަހަނަޅާ ފާނެތީއެވެ. އެއަށްވުރެ ބޮޑަށް ބުނެދިން ޓީޗަރުން ފަދައިން ގޭގައި މަޑުކޮށްލަން ޖެހިދާނެތީ އެވެ.

ދީނީ އިލްމުވެރިއެއް ކަމުގައިވާ ޑރ އަބުދުލް މަޖީދު ޢަބްދުލް ބާރީ ވިދާޅުވީ ވަކިގޮތްތަކެއް ޤަބޫލުކޮށް ހަރުކަށިގޮތްތަކެއް ގެންގުޅޭ މީހުންނާއި ވަކި ޖަމާއަތް ހަދައިގެން އެފަދަ ގޮތްގޮތަށް އުޅެމުން ގެންދާ ގެންދިއުމަކީ ރާއްޖޭގައި ދީނީ ތައުލީމް ހާޞިލް ކުރުމަށާއި ދީނީ މައުލޫމާތު ހޯދުމަށް ހުރި ދަތިތަކެއްގެ ސަބަބުން ދިމާވެގެން އުޅޭ ކަންތައްތަކެއް ކަމަށެވެ.

ޑރ މަޖީދު ވިދާޅުވީ ރާއްޖޭގެ ސްކޫލުތަކުގައި ދީނީ ތައުލީމް އެންމެ ފުރިހަމައަށް ކިޔަވާނުދޭ ކަމަށާއި ޓީޗަރުންނަށްވެސް އެފަދަ މައުލޫމާތުތައް ދަރިވަރުންނަށް އުނގަންނައިދެވޭން ނޯންނަ ކަމަށެވެ.

”ދީނީ ތައުލީމް ހާޞިލް ކުރުން ރާއްޖޭގައި ވަރަށް ހަނިކޮށް އޮންނަނީ. ދީނީ މައުލޫމާތު ހޯދުން ވަރަށް ދަތި“ ޑރ މަޖީދު ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

ޑރ މަޖީދު ވިދާޅުވީ ބައިބައިވެގެން ދަނީ ދނީ މައުލޫމާތު ހޯދެން ނެތުމުން އިންޓަރނެޓުންނާއި ބައެއް އިނގިރޭސި ފޮތްތައް ބަލައިގެން އޭގައި ހުންނަ އެއްޗެހިތައް ދަސްކޮށް އެގޮތަށް އުޅެން ފެށުމުން ކަމަށެވެ. ”އިންޓަރނެޓުންނާ އެފަދަ ގޮތްގޮތުން ދެން މައުލޫމާތު ހޯދަނީ. އެގޮތަށް ހޯދާއިރު އެއިން ބައެއް ގިނަ ފަހަރަށް ލިބިފައި އޮންނަނީ. މިސާލަކަށް އާޔަތެއްގެ މާނަ އޮތްގޮތަށް އެނގިގެން އަދި ނުފުދޭނެ. އޭގެ ހާލަތާއި ބާވާލެއްވި ގޮތާއި އެކަމާ ގުޅޭ ހާދިސާ އެނގެން ޖެހޭނެ. އެހެންނޫނީ އެކަމެއް އޮޅުމެއް ނުފިލާނެ“ ޑރ.މަޖީދު ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

ޑރ މަޖީދަށް ޖުމްލަ ގޮތެއްގައި ގިނަ ޢިލްމުވެރިން ތާއީދު ކުރައްވައެވެ.

އައްޝައިޚް ޢަބްދުﷲ ބުނު މުހައްމަދު އިބްާހީމް ވިދާޅުވީ ދީނީ ތައުލީމަކީ ބައެއް މީހުންގެ ފިތުރަތުގައި ލައްވާފައިވާ ކަމެއް ކަމަށާއި އެއީ އެމީހާ ހޯދަން ބޭނުން ވާނެ ކާނާއެއް ކަމަށެވެ.

”އެއީ ކާނާއެއް. އެކާނާ އެމީހަކު ކޮންމެހެންވެސް ހޯދާނެ. އެހޯދާފައި ނޫނީ ހުއްޓައެއް ނުލާނެ“ ޢަބްދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

ޝައިޚް ޢަބްދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވީ ދީނީ ތައުލީމް ހޯދަން އެދޭ މީހަކަށް އެކަން ބަންދުކޮށްލައިފިއްޔާ އެކަން ބަދަލު ވެގެން ދާނީ ރަނގަޅަކަށް ވުރެ ގޯސް ގޮތަކަށް ކަމަށާއި ނިކުމެގެން ދާނީ އެހެން އެއްޗެއް ކަމަށެވެ. އޭގެ ބަދަލުގައި ޖެހޭނީ ދީނުގައި އޮންނަ ރަނގަޅުގޮތް ހޯދޭނެ ފުރުސަތު ދިނުން ކަމަށް ޝެއިޚް ޢަބްދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

”އެއީ އަސްލު ދިމާވި މައްސަލައަކީ. ދީން ކިޔަވަން ބޭނުންވާ މީހުންނަށް އެފުރުސަތު ނުދިނީ. ހަނިކޮށްލީ. ދީން ކިޔެވޭނެ މަގުތަކާއި ދީނަށް އުޅޭ މީހުންނަށް ހުރަސްއެޅީ. އޭރު އިންޓަރނެޓެއްވެސް އެހާ އާއްމެއް ނޫން.“ ޢަބްދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

ޢަބްދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވީ ދީނަށް އުޅޭ މީހުން ނުވަތަ ތުނބުޅިލީ މީހުން ތަފާތުކޮށް, ބާކީކޮށްލުމުން އެމީހުންގެ ތެރެއިން އެހެން ކަންތައްތަކެއް ކްރިއޭޓްވެގެން އައި ކަމަށާއި އެއީ އެމީހުން މާޔޫސް ވުމުންނާއި ރަނގަޅު ދީނީ އިލްމުވެރިން ނުފެނުމުން ދިމާވެދާނެ ކަމެއް ކަމަށެވެ.

”އިލްމުވެރިން ފެންނަން ނުފެށުމުން އެމީހުން ގައިޑް ކުރާނެ ބަޔަކު ނެތް. ދެން ދީން ނުވެސް ދަންނަ, އެއިލްމު ލިބިފައި ނުވާ މީހުން ބުނާކޮންމެ އެއްޗެއްވެސް ޤަބޫލުކުރެވެން ފެށީ. އިލްމުވެރިން ލީޑް ކުރުވާ އެމީހުން ލައްވާ ރަނގަޅަށް އެކަން ކުރުވި ނަމަ މިހާލަތަކަށް ނުވެއްޓުނީސް“ ޝައިޚް ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

ޢަބްދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވީ ރާއްޖޭގެ ތައުލީމީ މަރުހަލާގައިވެސް ދީން އޮންނަނީ ނަމެއްގައި ކަމަށެވެ. މުޤައްރިރުވެސް ރަނގަޅު ނޫން ކަމަށާއި ދީނީބައި ފުދޭވަރާ ގާތަށްވެސް ހިމެނިފައި ނުވާ ކަމަށެވެ.

”ފުރަތަމަ ކަމަކަށް ނަގާ ޓީޗަރުން. ގްރޭޑް 11 އަދި 12 ގަވެސް ނޫޅޭނެ ދީނީ އިލްމުވެރިންނެއް އިސްލާމް ކިޔަވައިދޭކަށް. ދެން ކިހިނެތް އެމައްދާ ފުރަތަމަ ކިޔަވައިދޭނީ.“ ޝެއިޚް ޢަބްދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

އައްޝައިޚް މުހައްމަދު ނަޝީދުވެސް ވިދާޅުވީ ދީނީ ހޭލުންތެރިކަން މުޖްތަމައުގައި އަށަގެންނެވިފައި ނެތް ކަމަށެވެ.

”އެއީ ހަމައެކަނި ސަރުކާރުގެ އިހުމާލެއް ނޫން. ދީނީ ތަޤްރީރުތަކުގެ ގޮތުގައި ނުދިނަސް ނަސޭހަތުގެ ގޮތުގައި މައިންބަފައިންނަށް އަދި ދީނީ އިލްމު ލިބިފައި ތިބި މީހުންނަށް ދީނުގެ ކަންކަން ބުނެދެވިދާނެ“ ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވީ ސަރުކާރުންވެސް ކޮށްދޭން ޖެހޭ ކަންތައްތައްވެސް އޮތީ ކޮށް ނުދީ ކަމަށެވެ.

”ދީނީ އިލްމުވެރިން އުފެއްދިފައެއް ނެތް. މީގެ 20 އަހަރު ކުރިން ރާއްޖެއަށް ބޭނުންވާ ދީނީ އިލްމުވެރިން ތައްޔާރު ކުރެވުނު ނަމަ ރަނގަޅުވީސް. މިހާރުވެސް ހިޔެއް ނުވޭ ކުރިއަށް އޮތްތަނަށްވެސް އެފަދަ ކަމެއް ކުރައްވާހެނެއް“ ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

ރާއްޖޭގެ ސްކޫލުތަކުގައި ދީނީ ތައުލީމް ދެވޭ މިންވަރާމެދު ޝެއިޚް ނަޝީދުވެސް ފާޑު ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

”އިސްލާމް ކިޔާ މާއްދާއަކުން ނުފުދޭނެ ދީނުގެ ބައެއް ބައިތައް އޭގައި ހިމެނިޔަސް. ދީނުގެ ވަކިބައިތަކެއް މުޤައްރަރުގައި ކަނޑައަޅައިގެން އެކަމަށް ޚާއްޞަ މީހުން ލައްވާ ކިޔަވައިދޭން ވާނެ. މިސާލަކަށް ފިޤުހު, ޙަދީޘް, ޢަޤީދާފަދަ ބައިތައް. މިއިން ކޮންމެ ބަޔަކީވެސް ވަރަށް ބޮޑު ބައެއް. އެހެން ކަމުން ރާއްޖޭގައި ދެވޭ ދީނީ ތައުލީމް ފުރިހަމައެއް ނުވޭ“ ޝެއިޚް ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ.

ކޮންމެއަކަސް އިލްމުވެރިން ވިދާޅުވަނީ ބަޔަކު ހައްދުފަހަނަޅާ ދިޔަނަމަ ދިއުމަކީ ގޯސްކަމެއް ކަމަށާއި އެމީހުން އެހާލަތަށް ދިޔަނަމަ ދިޔައީ ދީން ބުނެނުދެވި އޮތުމުންނާއި ދީނީ ހޭލުންތެރިކަން އަށަގެންނެވިފައި ނެތީމާ ކަމަށެވެ.

ލޯ ފެކަލްޓީގައި ދީނީ ގޮތުން ހައްދުފަހަނައެޅުމަށް މަގުފަހިވާ ކަންތައްތަކެއް ހިނގަމުންދާކަމެއް އެގިފައެއްނެތް: ޑީން

Jazeera މުހައްމަދު ރަފީއު އިއްޔެ، 17:12 0 ޚިޔާލު

މޯލްޑިވްސް ކޮލެޖް އޮފް ހަޔަރ އެޑިއުކޭޝަންގެ ޝަރީއާ އެންޑް ލޯ ފެކަލްޓީގައި ދީނީގޮތުން ހައްދުފަހަނައެޅުމަށް މަގު ފަހިވާކަންތައްތަކެއް ހިނގަމުންދާކަން އެގިވަޑައިނުގަންނަވާ ކަމުގައި އެ ފެކަލްޓީގެ ޑީން ވިދާޅުވެއްޖެ އެވެ.

ޖަޒީރާއަށް މިއަދު ދެއްވި ބަސްދީގަތުމެއްގައި އެ ފެކަލްޓީގެ ޑީން ފައްޔާޒު އަލީ މަނިކު ވިދާޅުވީ ދީނީގޮތުން ހައްދުފަހަނައެޅުމަށް މަގު ފަހިވާކަންތައްތައް ހިނގަމުންދާކަން ބަޔާންކޮށް, އެކަންތައް ހުއްޓުވުމަށް މަސައްކަތް ކުރުމަށް ރަސްމީކޮށް ކޮލެޖް އޮފް ހަޔަރ އެޑިއުކޭޝަނުން އަންގާފައިވާ ކަމަށެވެ.

” އަޅުގަނޑަކަށް އެނގިގެން އެ ބުނާފަދަ އަމަލުތަލުތަކެއް ހިނގަމުންނެއް ނުދޭ. ނޭނގި އެފަދަ އަމަލެއް ހިނގާ ކަމަށް ވާނަމަ އެކަންތައް އެބަޖެހޭ ބަލަން“ އޭނާ ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ. ފައްޔާޒު ވިދާޅުވީ އެކަމާބެހޭ ގޮތުން ރަސްމީގޮތެއްގައި އެއްޗެއް ބުނެވޭނީ އެ ފެކަލްޓީގެ އެގްޒެކެޓިވް ކޮމިޓީގެ ބައްދަލުވުމަކަށްފަހު ކަމަށެވެ.

ރައީސުލްޖުމުހޫރިއްޔާގެ އޮފީހުން ހަޔަރ އެޑިއުކޭޝަން މިނިސްޓްރީއަށް ފޮނުވި ސިޓީގައި, ދީނީގޮތުން ހައްދުފަހަނައެޅުމަށް މަގު ފަހިވާކަންތައްތައް ޝަރީއާ އެންޑް ލޯ ގައި ހިނގަމުންދާކަމަށް ބުނެފައި ވާތީ, އެކަމުގެ ސަބަބުން އެ ފެކަލްޓީއާ މެދު މީހުން ދެކޭގޮތަށް ބަދަލުތަކެއް އަންނާނެ ކަމަށް ވެސް ފައްޔާޒު ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

” މިކަމުގެ ސަބަބުން މިތަނުގައި (ފެކަލްޓީގައި) މަސައްކަތްކުރާ މުވައްޒަފުންނާއި ކުދިންނަށް ކުއްލި ހައިރާންކަމެއް މި ލިބުނީ. އެންމެންނަށް ވެސް ހަގީގަތް އެނގެން އެބަޖެހޭ. އެހެންވެ އެކަންތައްތައް ބަލައި ކިހާވަރެއްގެ ހަގީގަތެއް އޭގައި އެކުލެވޭތޯ ބެލުމުގެ މަސައްކަތް ވަރަށް އަވަހަށް ފަށާނަން. ހަގީގަތެއް އޮތް ކަމަކަށް ވާނަމަ އެކަންތައް ހުއްޓުވުމަށް ފިޔަވަޅު އަޅާނަން“ އޭނާ ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

ޖަޒީރާއަށް މައުލޫމާތު ލިބިފައިވާ ގޮތުގައި ޝަރީޢާ އެންޑް ލޯގައި ކިޔަވަމުންދާ ގިނަ ކުދިންނަކީ މައުހަދު ނިންމާފައި އެ ފެކަލްޓީއަށް ވަންނަ ކުދިންނެވެ. މީގެ ތެރެއިން ބައެއް އަންހެން ކުދިން ކަޅުހެދުން ލައިގެން އެ ފެކަލްޓީއަށް ދާއިރު, ބައެއް ފިރިހެން ކުދިން ތުބުޅި ބަހައްޓަ އެވެ.

” އަޅުގަނޑަކަށް އެއްގޮތަކަށް ވެސް ނުވިސްނޭ ހައްދުފަހަނައަޅާފައިވާ ކަންތައްތައްތަކޭ އެބުނަނީ ކޮންކަންތައްތަކަކަށް އިޝާރާތްކޮށް ކަމެއް. އެފަދަ އިލްޒާމެއް އެޅުވުމުން ދެރަވުމުގެ ބަދަލުގައި އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ ހިތުގައި އުފެދެނީ ސުވާލުތަކެއް“ ޝައިރީއާ އެންޑް ލޯ ގައި ކިޔަވަމުންދާ ދަރިވަރަކު ހިތްހަމަނުޖެހިފައި ހުރެ ބުންޏެވެ.

” ވަޒީރުންގެ މަޖިލީހުގެ ކޮމިޓީއަކުންވެސް އެފަދަ އިލްޒާމެއް އަޅުވާއިރު, ހައްދުފަހަނައަޅާ ކަންތައްތަކަކީ ކޮބާކަންވެސް އަންގަންޖެހޭނެހެން ހީވަނީ. ކަޅުހެދުންލުމާއި ބުރުގާ އެޅުމަކީ ހައްދުފަހަނައެޅުން ކަމަށް ވަންޏާ ސާފުބަހުން އެކަންވެސް ބުނަންޖެހޭނެ“

އެ ފެކަލްޓީގެ ލެކްޗަރާއަކު ވިދާޅުވީ ހައްދުފަހަނައަޅާފައިވާ ކަންތައްތަކޭ ބުނުމުން ހައިރާންވެއްޖެ ކަމަށާއި އެފަދަ ކަންތައްތަކެއް ހިނގާކަމެއް އެނގިފައި ނުވާ ކަމަށެވެ.

” އެ ވާހަކަ އަޑުއިވުމުން ކުއްލި ހައިރާންކަމެއް ލިބުނީ. އެފަދަ ކަންތައްތަކެއް އެތަނުގައި ހިނގާކަމެއް އެނގިފައެއް ނެތް“ ލެކްޗަރަރަކު ޖަޒީރާއަށް ކިޔައިދިނެވެ.

ދީނީ އިލްމުވެރިންގެ ފަތުވާ: ދީނީގޮތުން މޫނު ބުރުގާ އެޅުން މަނާކުރެވޭނެ އެއްވެސް ގޮތެއް ނޯންނާނ

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Jazeera މަސްއޫދު ހިލްމީ އިއްޔެ، 17:13 0 ޚިޔާލު

މޫނު ބުރުގާ ނޭޅުމަށް ދީނީ ގޮތުން އެއްވެސް ފަރާތަށް ނޭންގޭނެ ކަމަށް ރާއްޖޭގެ މަޝްހޫރު ދީނީ އިލްމްވެރިން ބުނެފި އެވެ.

ދީނީ އިލްމްވެރިންގެ ވާހަކަތައް މިގޮތަށް އައިސްފައިވަނީ މިމަހު 10 ވަނަ ދުވަހު ރައީސް އޮފީހުން ރާއްޖޭގެ އިސްލާމީ ކަންތައްތަކާއި ބެހޭ އެންމެ މަތީމަޖިލީހަށް ފޮނުވި ސިޓީއެއްގައި ކޮންބައެއްކަން އޮޅުންނުފިލާ ފަދަ ގޮތަކަށް ހެދުން އަޅައިގެން މަގުމަތީގަ އާއި އާއްމުތަންތާގައި އުޅުމާއި މިދެންނެވި ފަދަ ކަންތައްތައް ކުރުން މަނާ ކުރުމަށްޓަކައި އިއުލާން ކުރުމަށް މަތީމަޖިލީހަށް އެންގެވުމާއި ގުޅިގެން ނެވެ.

މަދީނާ އިން ދީނީ ތައުލީމް އުގެނިވަޑައިގެން ހުންނެވި އާދަމް ނަސީމް(ބީއޭ) ވިދާޅުވީ ފިތުނަ ވެރިކަށް އުފެދޭ ތަންތާގައި މޫނު ނިވާ ކުރުމަށް ދީނުގައި އަންގަވާފައިވާ ކަމަށެވެ.

” އެކަބުލޭގެ މޫނު ނިވާ ކުރަން ބޭނުން ވަނީ ނަމަ, އެއްވެސް ފަރާތަކަށް ނޭންގޭނެ މޫނު ނިވާ ނުކުރާކަށެއް. އެއީ ދީނުގައި އޮންނަ ގޮތަކީ.“ ނަސީމް ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

ނަސީމް ވިދާޅުވީ އެކަބުލޭގެ އިހުތިޔާރުގައި މޫނު ނިވާ ކުރަނީ ނަމަ ފިރިމީހާއަށް ވެސް އަދި ވެރިއަކަށް ވެސް އެކަން ނުކުރުމަށް ނޭންގޭނެ ކަމަށެވެ.

މަދީނާއިން ތައުލީމް ހާސިލް ކުރެއްވި ޝައިހް އަބުދުﷲ ބުން މުހައްމަދު އިބްރާހިމް ވިދާޅުވީ އިސްލާމް ދީނުގައި ވަކިގޮތަކަށް ބުނެފައި ވަނިކޮށް އެއާއި އިދިކޮޅަށް ގާނޫނެއް ހަދައި އިސްލާމް ދިރިއުޅޭ ބިމެއްގައި ތަންފީޒު ނުކުރެވޭނެ ކަމަށެވެ. އަދި މިފަދަ ގޮތަކަށް ހެދޭ ގާނޫނެއް ވަނީ ބާތިލް ގާނޫނަކަށް ކަމަށެވެ.

މިމައްސަލައަކީ މިއަދު ދިމާވެގެން އުޅޭ މައްސަލައެއް ނޫން ކަމަށާ ސަލްޓަންޕާކް ހާދިސާ ހިނގުމުގެ މާކުރިން ފެށިގެން ވެސް މިކަމަށް ޕްލޭން ކުރެވެމުން އަންނަ ކަމަށް އަބުދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

އަބުދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވީ ސަރުކާރުން އަބަދު ވެސް ބުނަމުން އަންނަނީ އިސްލާމްދީނަކީ މެދުމިނުގެ ދީން ކަމަށެވެ.

” އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް އެބަ ފެނޭ އައުރަ ނިވާ ނުކޮށް އުޅެމުންދާ މީހުން ވެސް. ދެން މިއޮތީ އާއްމް ބުރުގާ. އެއަށް ވުރެ މާތްކަމެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި މޫނު ބުރުގާ. އެހެންވުމުން މިތިން ވައްތަރު މޫނު ބުރުގާ މަނާ ކުރުމަށް ގަވައިދު ހަދާއިރު އައުރަ ނިވާ ނުކުރާމީހުންނަށް ގަވައިދެއް ނެތް ކަމުން ސަރުކާރުގެ މަގުސަދު އެބަހާމަވޭ. މިކަމުގައި ސަރުކާރުގެ ހެޔޮނިއަތެއް ފެންނަށް ނެތްކަން ވެސް ދޭހަވޭ.“ އަބުދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

އަބުދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވީ ސަލްޓަންޕާކްގެ ހާދިސާގެ ކުރިން ވެސް މިރާއްޖޭގައި ބޮޑެތި ޖަރީމާތައް ހިންގާ މީހުންވެސް މާރާފައި އެބަހުރި ކަމަށާ އެފަދަ ހާދިސާ ތަކުގައި ވެސް އެއަމަލު ހިންގި މީހަކާއި އެއްގޮތަށް ތިބޭ އެންމެން ފާހަގަކޮށް ހުނިޖަހާފައި ނުވާ ކަމަށެވެ.

” ރަތްކުލައިގެ ހެދުމެއް ލައިގެން ހުރި މީހަކު ވައްކަންކޮށް ފިއްޔާ ރަތްކުލައިގެ ހެދުން މަނާ ކުރަންވީތޯ؟ މިއީ ދެއުޅިއެއްނުވާ ކަމެއް ކަން ވިސްނާލުމުން އެގިގެންދާނެ.“ އަބުދުﷲ ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

މިސްރުން ކިޔަވާ ވިދާޅުވި އަލްއުސްތާޛު މުހައްމަދު ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވީ މޫނު ބުރުގާގެ މައްސަލައަކީ އިހުތިލާފީ މައްސަލައެއް ކަމަށާ އެހެން ވުމުން އެއްވެސް ފަރާތަކަށް އެކަމަށް ވަކި ގޮތެއް ނުނިންމޭނެ ކަމަށެވެ. ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވީ މީހަކު އެމީހެއްގެ އައުރައަށް ވުރެ ބޮޑަށް ނިވާކޮށްގެން ދީނީ ގޮތުން މައްސަލައަކަށް ނުވާނެ ކަމަށާ މައްސަލައަކަށް ވާނީ އައުރަ ނިވާނުވާ ނަމަކަމަށެވެ.

” އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް ކުރިން ފާހަގަ ކުރެވުނު މިސްރުގައި ވެސް އެގައުމުގެ ބައެއް ޔުނިވަލްސިޓީތަކަށާ އެހެން ވެސް ތަންތަނަށް މޫނު އަޅައިގެން ނުވަދެވޭ ގޮތް ހެދިތަން. އެހެން ނަމަވެސް އެގައުމުގައިވެސް އާއްމްތަންތާގައި މޫނު އެޅުން މަނަލެއް ނުކުރޭ.“ ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވީ ރާއްޖޭގައި ކޮންމެހެން އައިޑެންޓިޓީ އެގެން ބޭނުންވާ ތަންތަނަށް ވަންނަ އިރު އެމީހެއްގެ އައިޑެންޓެޓީ ބެލިދާނެ ކަމަށެވެ.

” މޫނު ބުރުގާ އަޅާފައި ހުންނަ އަންހެނަކު ބަލަން ބޭނުންނަމަ އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ ފުލުހުންގެ ތެރޭގައި ވެސް އަންހެނުން އެބަ ހަރަކާތްތެރިވޭ.“ ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

ނަޝީދު ވިދާޅުވީ ދުނިޔޭގެ މަޝްހޫރު ދީނީ އިލްމް ވެރިއެއްކަމުގައިވާ ޔޫސުފް ގަރުބާވީ ވެސް މޫނު އެޅުމަކީ އިހުތިލާފީ މައްސަލައެއް ކަމަށް ވިދާޅުވާ ކަމަށާ މޫނު އަޅަން ބޭނުންވާ މީހުންނަށް އެހައްގު ލިބިދޭން ޖެހޭނެ ކަމެއް ކަމަށް އޭނާ ވެސް ދެކެވަޑައިގަންނަވާ ކަމަށެވެ.

މަދީނާގެ އިސްލާމިކު ޔުނިވަރސްޓީން ތައުލީމް ހާސިލް ކުރައްވާފައިވާ ހަސަން މޫސާ ފިކުރީ ވިދާޅުވީ މިކަމަކީ ބައެއް އިލްމް ވެރިން ވާޖިބެއް ކަމަށް ދެކޭ, އަދި އަނެއްބައި އިލްވެރިން ގަދަވެގެންވާ ސުންނަތެއް ކަމަށް ދެކޭ ދީނީ މައްސަލައެއް ކަމަށާ މިކަމަށް ސަރުކާރުން ވަކި ގޮތަކަށް ނިންމެވުން މިއީ ދީނަށް ގޮންޖެހުން ކަމަށެވެ.

” އަޅުގަނޑުމެން ފަދަ އިސްލާމީ ދައުލަތަކުން ދީނީ ހުކުމަކާއި އިދިކޮޅަށް ތައާރުޒުވާ ގޮތަށް ގާނޫނުތައް ހަދާއިރު, އިސްލާމީ ނޫން ގައުމުތަކުގައި މިހައްގުތައް އެތަންތާގެ މުސްލިމުންނަށް ލިބިދޭ.“ ފިކުރީ ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

Maldives cracks down on Islamic extremism

A Maldivian woman (right), wearing clothing covering her from head to toe, waits for her car in Male

15 hours ago

MALE (AFP) — The Maldives unveiled tough measures to combat Islamic extremism and protect its vital luxury tourism industry after an unprecedented bombing wounded British, Japanese and Chinese holiday makers.

An order from President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom said fundamentalists should not be allowed to conduct religious services and that foreign clerics should not be able to enter the country without special permission.

The decree, which also outlaws head-to-toe covering for women, comes in the wake of a bombing on September 29 which wounded two Britons, two Japanese and eight Chinese tourists visiting a park in the island capital of Male.

The bombing has unsettled the Maldives, a nation of 330,000 Sunni Muslims who have been practising a liberal form of the religion and built South Asia's most successful economy with the region's most exotic and upmarket destination.

The Maldives is a chain of 1,192 islands of coral, white sand and palm trees scattered across about 850 kilometres (550 miles) of clear blue water off the southern tip of India.

Officials said Gayoom's order underlined a desire to stem fundamentalism that could undermine the tiny atoll nation's status as one of the world's top destinations for well-heeled tourists.

"The president addressed letters to the ministries of education and higher education and the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs outlining the measures to curb religious extremism," the government said in a statement.

But the opposition Adhaalath Party said banning the full covering and the full veil for women could not stop "terrorism."

"The government is going to fight terrorism by banning the beard and the burka," Adhaalath party leader Abdul Majeed Abdul Baari told AFP. "We are asking the government to study the causes of terrorism and extremism.

"Economic conditions also form part of the problem, but the main issue is the ideological differences and we need to address them."

Under the tough new measures, the government will also not recognise educational qualifications obtained from madrassas, or Islamic seminaries.

Maldivian authorities are holding more than 50 people suspected of links to a radical Islamic sect in connection with September's bombing.

Authorities are concerned that a small but growing number of youngsters are being drawn to religious extremism with some educated in radical forms of their religion in Pakistan.

Women enjoy equal status in education and jobs in the Maldives, but more of them have been covering their faces in recent years.

The punishment for those who continue to wear the head-to-toe covering was not specified, but officials said those who violate the decree are initially expected to be warned and that tougher action could follow.

Former education minister Mohamed Zahir Hussain said a minority of people believed that tourism was against Islam and were keen to disrupt the mainstay of the economy.

"I am sure we can manage," Hussain said. "People are shocked, but we can deal with the problem because of the geography of the Maldives."

Only 200 of the island's are inhabited and tourist resorts are separated from the island's occupied by the locals. Foreigners are not allowed to spend the night in inhabited islands except the capital island Male.

Government Must Share Power, Says Shaheed

By Susannah Peter in Male'
October 17, 2007 MNS

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The Government should share power with opposition parties to avert a “national crisis,” the former foreign minister told Minivan News today.

A Government coalition with the Adhaalath party and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is needed to pave the way for next year’s multi-party elections, and fight extremism, Dr Shaheed said.

“If the Government is serious about a free and fair election, we need a temporary transition period, where all parties are in the Cabinet.

“And a broad-based approach is imperative to fight extremism, now it has reared it’s ugly head."

“The Government has appealed for national unity to fight extremism,” he added. “But this can’t be done without a Government of national unity.”

But opposition members rejected his comments out of hand.

Adhaalath Chairman, Mohammed Didi, said the idea was “ridiculous.”

“We don’t agree with the Government’s action plan against extremism, or their approach to the reform agenda, so how could we share power with them?” he said.

“The Government’s approach is making the situation worse.”

And MDP President Dr Munavvar told Minivan News extremism would only be eradicated if “Gayoom resigned from his position.”

“Dr Shaheed has no reason to tell other parties what they should be doing,” he added.

“He has no political status, his opinion is irrelevant.”

But Dr Shaheed accused them of “shortsightedness.”

"No one party can rule exclusively on their own," he said.

President seeks to reinforce ban on veil, masks

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| DATE: 2007-10-17 | HNS
MALE, October 17, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has asked the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs to prohibit anyone from wearing any clothes which hide their identities while in public.

In a letter dated October 10, the President said that he sought to reinforce the ban on the face-covering veil or abaya and masks following the September 29 bombing of Sultan Park in Male which injured 12 foreign tourists. The decision was taken upon the advise of a Cabinet committee, the President\\\'s Office said.

Though the Government had some years ago prohibited anyone from wearing masks which cover their faces or wear the abaya, some extremists and purists started resorting to the attire after the Government loosened its grip on Maldivian public life following the September 2003 riots.

In recent months, especially after the tsunami of December 2004, some women have been found wearing the abaya in defiance of the earlier prohibition, while men wearing masks recently confronted Police and the Military in North Ari atoll Himandhoo island when police sought to arrest a suspect there connected to the Sultan Park bombing.

In the letter addressed to the Council\\\'s President Sheikh Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim, and copied to five other government agencies, the President requested authorities to do all that was possible to make the Maldivian people aware of the dangers of extremism and on the virtue of continuing to practice the moderate brand of Islam which had been practiced here for more than 800 years.

If advising extremists to return to the moderate path does not work, the President requested the Council to then resort to legal measures against them.

Last week, the President\\\'s Office also sent letters to the Education Ministry and the Higher Education Ministry requesting them to take measures to counter extremism.

In the letter to Education Minister Zahiya Zareer dated October 8, the President requested her to revise the Islamic curriculum for the Center for Higher Secondary Education, the government-run high school in the capital, where some students were found to practice extremism.

In the letter sent to the Higher Education Ministry dated October 10, the President asked its acting head Abdul Rasheed Hussain to stop the spreading of extremist ideas at the Faculty of Sharia and Law, stop Maldivians from going abroad to study in clandestine institutions, and not to accredit any educational qualifications bestowed by such suspect institutions.

The Islamist Adaalath Party yesterday held a press conference cautioning that not everyone who wears the abaya or grows a beard should be branded as an extremist.

\\\"Abaya is a part of Islam,\\\" insisted Dr. Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari, the chair of the party\\\'s Islamic scholars\\\' council. \\\"What is contested among scholars is whether it is a must or not.\\\"

He pointed out that the Government \\\"allows people to act outside the tenets of Islam\\\", which some believe was a reference to women who do not wear the head scarf.

Majeed, who also works at the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, said that Gayoom seeking to reinforce the ban on the abaya \\\"will only add fuel to the fire.\\\"

Dialogue accompanied by legal action needed to combat extremism: Supreme Council

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| DATE: 2007-10-15 | HNS

MALE, October 15, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- Dialogue and legal action need to go hand in hand in combating Islamic extremism in Maldives, the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs said.

In an interview with Haveeru Daily and Haveeru Online last week, the Council\'s President Sheikh Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim said that the Council has continuously given the Government advice at every turn on how to combat extremism.

The Council does not have any mandate to take legal action but can advise people to return to the moderate path, Rasheed said.

He said that legal action should be taken against people who undertake extremist acts, and that when and if they come to their senses, the role of advising them to come to the moderate path can take place.

Extremism first surfaced in Maldives about 20 years ago when a group of people started holding Juma (Friday) prayer congregations separately in a house as against at officially established mosques, Rasheed said.

He said that he met the group a few times to try to bring them back to the correct path but that over the years, such breakaway groups have emerged from time to time.

Rasheed blamed a South Asian country, without naming it, but which Haveeru believes was a reference to Pakistan, for being a breeding ground for extremists.

\"Six months after they are educated\" at the madrassas, \"they suddenly become Islamic scholars. One of those involved in the September 29 bombing of the Sultan Park which injured 12 foreign tourists had just returned from there,\" Rasheed said.

He said that the people who get “enlightened from a close SAARC country” then preys on the minds of children as young as 12 to 14 and brainwash them to embrace an extreme form of Islam.

Rasheed said that sometimes extremists do not heed the Government but try to provoke and confront authorities.

For instance, he said that when it was found that people were congregating illegally in a house in Male, which sources have identified to Haveeru as Zeeniyaamaage in Maafannu ward, he tried to contact and seek compromise from the group but that they wouldn\'t budge.

\"Some people have pasted many posters on the walls of Ibrahimi Mosque. Some have even made a temporary partition (with a cloth) on the first floor of the mosque. When we send our officials, they are confronted. We have now referred this matter to relevant authorities,\" Rasheed said.

Even about five years ago, Rasheed himself met such a breakaway group and tried to advice them to embrace the moderate path -- to no avail.

\"Advice has to be accompanied by legal action,\" Rasheed concluded.

TVM hits back at Supreme Council

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| DATE: 2007-10-16 |HNS

MALE, October 16, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- State broadcaster Television Maldives has hit back at the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs after the Council last week alleged that TVM was unable to allocate any space for airing Islamic awareness programs last Ramadan.

In an interview with Haveeru Daily and Haveeru Online last week, the Council’s President Sheikh Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim had said that \\\"we had tried to revive the program again but have been unable to do so far.\\\"

He was referring to the daily program called \\\"Hidhaayathuge Ali\\\" which TVM broadcast daily during previous Ramadan months but which was conspicuously absent from TVM\\\'s schedule last Ramadan. Rasheed was responding to questions why the Government has so far failed to tackle Islamic extremism in Maldives, and he had cited that one of the measures that the Government was undertaking was to spread awareness programs on the correct or moderate path of Islam through media.

TVM CEO Ali Khalid yesterday said that during last Ramadan, the Council had not submitted any Islamic-themed programs to be aired for the general populace.

\\\"It is not the Council that helps us to air Islamic awareness programs. It is the Rabita (a foreign NGO called World Muslim League) which helps us,\\\" Khalid said, referring to Rabita-supported program titled \\\"Roadha Aai Suvaalu\\\" which is basically a program where audiences can respond and win prizes by answering questions related to the Islamic faith, its history, traditions and culture.

Khalid went on to elaborate that when he approached the Council\\\'s Vice President Sheikh Ahmed Farooq Mohamed to ask for his assistance to the program, the latter had excused himself by saying that he didn\\\'t have time.

\\\"We sent our producers to meet him and his reply was that he had no time,\\\" Khalid said in damaging revelations.

\\\"As the program had been broadcast for 17 consecutive years, we felt that this time it cannot go ahead without the help of Farooq and his Council,\\\" Khalid said.

\\\"Roadha Aai Suvaalu\\\" (FAQ on Ramadan) and \\\"Hidhaayathuge Ali\\\" were popular programs among locals. The programs on Islam that TVM telecast the last fasting month were some Islamic-oriented spots, a 15-minute daily program called \\\"Roadhaige Hiyaalu\\\" (Fasting - An Introspective) supported by Maldives’ College of Islamic Studies, and telecasting of daily afternoon advisory sessions held at the Islamic Center in Male.

Khalid said that telecasting of the Islamic Center advisory meetings was carried out not on the request of the Council but under public pressure because viewers felt that there were two few programs on Islamic awareness during last Ramadan.

He said that it was the College which assisted TVM in shaping Islamic awareness programs during last Ramadan; he added that he was baffled by the Council\\\'s lack of interest in assisting TVM while TVM had never turned its back to any request by the Council.

Last week Rasheed said that the Council tried its best to have Islamic awareness programs on TVM during last Ramadan but that their efforts were \\\"not successful.\\\"

Khalid countered that TVM\\\'s request in writing to the Council to assist TVM in telecasting Islamic awareness programs last Ramadan haven\\\'t even been answered yet.

He went on to claim that two years back, TVM had requested the Council to assist it to telecast Islamic awareness programs on a daily basis.

\\\"Even then we did not get cooperation from the Council,\\\" Khalid alleged, adding that TVM instead had to resort to the help of state radio broadcaster Voice of Maldives to produce programs on Islamic awareness.

The issue of Islamic awareness and extremism is currently in the local spotlight following the September 29 bombing of the Sultan Park in Male which injured 12 foreign tourists, an attack seen as local Islamic extremists’ efforts to disrupt the tourism industry, the backbone of the Maldives\\\' economy which contributes to more than 30 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

The extremist debate has now become heated after recently both Police and the Military were physically confronted by a breakaway extremist group in North Ari atoll Himandhoo island when police went down to the island in search of a suspect linked to the Sultan Park bombing.

Former AG reveals part of damning letter sent to Supreme Council head

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| DATE: 2007-10-16 | HNS

MALE, October 16, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- Former Attorney General Dr. Hassan Saeed today revealed a part of a damning letter he sent to the President of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs stating that the Council was a \"failed institution.\"

Saeed today revealed one page of the 15-page letter he sent on January 10 to Sheikh Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim claiming that the latter in part was to blame for some of the shortcomings as head of Maldives\' highest Islamic authority.

On the first page of the letter which was shown to Haveeru Daily reporters, Saeed had written to Rasheed condemning him for first failing the Justice Ministry, and in similar manner, then failing the Supreme Council.

When Rasheed became the President of the Council, most of the Maldivian people embraced a moderate path of Islam, Saeed had written.

Saeed then questioned what measures, if any, Rasheed had been taking even though the latter was well aware that extremism was taking root in Maldives.

Saeed sent the long letter to Rasheed after differences emerged between the two when the case of \"Fussaru\" Adam Mohamed was sent to the High Court for appeal. Fussaru was accused of contributing to the factors leading to the killing in custody of inmate Evan Naseem and the subsequent riots in the Maafushi prison in September 2003 which led to a shoot-out by security officers resulting in the death of more inmates.

Saeed today said that he had sent that particular letter in reply to a letter sent to Saeed by Rasheed. However, he did not elaborate on the nature of the letter he said he had received from Rasheed.

Rasheed was unavailable for comment today but he had earlier confirmed that he had received that letter from Saeed.

In the letter sent to Rasheed, Saeed asked Rasheed to disclose measures, if any, that he had taken when extremists were found to wed and divorce outside of courts, marry minors, and incite and carry out assault and murder in the name of Islam.

Saeed accused Rasheed of turning a blind eye to the events leading to North Ari atoll Himandhoo island to becoming a den for extremists. Saeed further alleged that Rasheed had sent an advisory team to the island only when the situation had already worsened.

Himandhoo was recently in the media spotlight after physical confrontations between a breakaway extremist group and Police and the Military took place after police tried to conduct an investigation in the island to capture a suspect linked to the September 29 bombing of the Sultan Park in the capital Male which injured 12 foreign tourists and which was seen as the first terror attack specifically targeting the tourism industry, the backbone of the Maldives’ economy.

Saeed alleged that even the Council\'s advisory team to Himandhoo was ill-equipped to deal with the situation.

In the letter Saeed also alleged Rasheed of harboring extremists under his own umbrella who went out into society spreading deviant ideas. He alleged Rasheed of arrogance, stubbornness and of being an autocrat who could not take criticism.

Saeed alleged that Rasheed used his powers to transfer moderate scholars in the Council who held views that were not agreeable to Rasheed.

Saeed then took a bitter jab at Rasheed by pointing out that the sermons currently given at Juma (Friday) prayers across Maldives were archaic and draconian sermons written way back in former President Ibrahim Nasir\'s time some 28 years ago; Saeed said that this demonstrated Rasheed\'s “colossal failure” and that this was testimony to Rasheed’s negligence and gross mismanagement.

\"That\'s the best you can do at failing,\" Saeed had written in the letter which dripped of sarcasm.

He added that \"We don\'t even know if there ever will come a day when the Dhivehi (Maldives\' native language) translation of the Koran will be completed.\"

Saeed then said that the only option now for Rasheed would be “to gracefully resign while there is still time to bow out with the good reputation you currently enjoy”.

Saeed also added that the Council should be handed over to people capable of doing their jobs properly.

Former AG accuses Government of \"sitting on report\" recommending measures to tackle extremism

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| DATE: 2007-10-14 | HNS

MALE, October 14, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- Former Attoreny General Dr. Hassan Saeed has told Haveeru Daily and Haveeru Online that the President\'s Office \"sat on a report\" he and former Justice Minister Mohamed Jameel Ahmed submitted to President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom outlining 13 recommendations by which Islamic extremism can be tackled in Maldives.

The 13-point report was drafted by a scholarly committee set up by the President himself and the \"Action Plan\" was submitted to the President\'s Office about eight months ago, Saeed said.

The report recommended an in-depth study of the extent of extremism in society, changing the way the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, the highest Islamic authority in Maldives, function, strengthening the laws and regulations tackling extremism, making people aware of the benefits of adopting a moderate way of life, and employing the media to inform people on the importance of adopting a moderate path in Islam.

The report also recommends bringing changes to academic curriculums and setting up a council which can give fatwas or Islamic rulings on certain issues.

Moderate scholars are also encouraged to go to rural islands and raise awareness, and inculcate in students a love for the moderate path of Islam and embrace the true peaceful culture of Islam.

Saeed said that Islamic extremism is one of the greatest challenges facing Maldives where poverty is now strife; according to the World Bank, about 40 percent of the Maldivian people live on less than a dollar a day which is the World Bank\'s official poverty line while some 70 percent of the people live on less than two dollars a day despite the misleading per capita of over 2,000 dollars which some say is the result of the widening of the poor-rich divide.

Among the problems recently faced are people marrying out of courts, and setting up makeshift mosques to pray by breakaway religious groups claiming that government built mosques were built with \"tainted\" money and official imams were kafirs (unbelievers). Some groups also refuse to send their children to school due to the presence of expatriate teachers.

Including incidences of child marriage where under-18s and under-16s were sometimes found to get married, extremists have also been found to go overseas to study in extremist schools while taking part in militant activities.

\"We have also come across incidences where extremists have tried to import weapons,\" Saeed said.

\"Hence, we were forced to appeal to the President to counter these dangerous trends,\" he said in an exclusive interview with Haveeru last week.

Saeed said that extremism in North Ari atoll Himandhoo first surfaced three years ago, and that the North Ari atoll\'s Atoll Chief had appealed to the central government to take measures to deal with the situation.

\"But nobody would listen to him,\" Saeed said. \"If we had listened to him then, we would not have encountered the situation we were faced with recently.”

Several days back, Police and the Military clashed with a breakaway religious group in the island after police went there in search of suspects linked to the bombing of Sultan Park in Male which injured 12 foreign tourists.

Saeed said that Islamist-leaning Adaalath Party even sent a delegation to Himandhoo and had expressed desire to cooperate with the government to tackle extremism in the island.

The party met with Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs but their appeals \"fell on deaf years,\" Saeed.

Saeed said that the Council was a \"failed institution\" and that it needed to change its stand and start addressing contemporary issues facing society rather than just explaining the basic tenets of Islam and the faith\'s moral values.

He said that he did \"everything I can\" by appealing to the President to tackle the issue of extreme when he was in the Cabinet.

\"A minister can only go so far as coming up with an action plan and making sure that it reached the hands of the President. I did all that,\" Saeed said.

He said that the highest institution in the country will be the Cabinet but that he doesn\'t remember President Gayoom ever brining the issue to a Cabinet meeting despite his submission of the 13-point action plan.

Saeed said that legal action can be taken against extremists but that this will not tackle the roots of the problem.

The government was not available last week for a comment on Saeed\'s claims.

Those involved in terrorist attack of 29 September will be found and brought to justice soon – President Gayoom

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| DATE: 2007-10-14 | HNS
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said that the perpetrators of the terrorist attack on 29 September would be found and brought to justice very soon.

He made the statement while speaking in his monthly radio address to the nation on Voice of Maldives yesterday and focused mainly on the 29 September terrorist attack in which a bomb had been detonated at the Sultan Park, injuring 12 tourists, and the events that had occurred in North Ari atoll Himandhoo on 7 October. President Gayoom said that following the events the Government had decided to take important measures to maintain peace, security and harmony within the nation.

The President said that the September 29th explosion was a deliberate attack on our peaceful environment, our hospitality, and our reputation among visitors. The people involved in the crime would be found and brought to justice, he said.

About the security operations in Himandhoo, the President said that the violent actions of a group of people in Himandhoo were not within the boundaries of Islam or national harmony, and therefore couldn’t be justified by any Islamic or democratic principle. The President further said that Islam does not advocate violent action in the name of religion and that the violence in Himandhoo was used by a group of people who do not have adequate knowledge about Islam.

He also noted that the two incidents had increased the public’s thoughts about national well-being and noted that the people’s reaction to the incidents had shown the need for joint efforts by the Government and the people to address the situation. In this regard, the President said that the Government, after detailed discussions among stakeholders, had identified special measures that would be implemented to address the issue.

Elaborating on these measures, President Gayoom said that efforts to revive the true spirit of Islam, measures to ensure compliance with the law, strengthening of the judicial system to ensure transparency and equality were some of the areas that would be addressed by the Government. The President said that the aim of these measures was to prevent further efforts to destroy the peace and harmony of the Maldives for any purpose.

President Gayoom highlighted the Government’s strong resolve to ensure that such incidents do not recur in our country and that nobody should have the opportunity to destroy peace and stability in the country.

Concluding his address, President Gayoom called for the support of the people, the People’s Majlis and political parties in this national endeavour. He also called for the support of the media and friendly countries. He reiterated the need for joint efforts by everyone involved to ensure that this nation remains peaceful and stable.

ރަހީނުކުރުމަށް ފަހު އެމީހުން އަހަރެންނާމެދު ކަންތައްކުރީ ވަރަށް ރަނގަޅަށ

ް

އަންވަރު އިބްރާހިމް އޮކްޓޫބަރ 8، 16:19 0 ޚިޔާލު

” އޭނާއަކީ ވަރަށް ކެރޭ މީހެއް. ކޮންމެކަމަކާ ކުރިމަތިލިޔަސް ކުރިމަތިލާނީ އަޒުމާއެކު. ފަސްޖެހުމަކީ އޭނާގެ ސިފައެއްނޫން. ކުޑައިރުއްސުރެވެސް އޭނާގެ އަޒުމަކަށް ވެފައިވަނީ ސިފައިންގެ މީހަކަށްވުން“ ހިމަންދޫގައި ހިނގި ކުރިމަތި ލުމުގައި ހައްޔަރު ކުރެވުނު އަސީރާ މެދު އޭނާގެ ރައްޓެއްސަކު ބުންޏެވެ.

މާލޭގައި ހިންގުނު ޓެރަރިސްޓް ހަމަލާއާ އަދި ފުލުހުން ހޯދަންބޭނުންވާ ބައެއްކަންކަން ހޯދުމަށްޓަކާ މިދިޔަ ހޮނިހިރު ދުވަހާއި އިއްޔެ އާއި މިއަދު ހިމަންދޫގައި ކުރިއަށްދިޔަ ކުރިމަތި ލުމުގައި ހައްޔަރުކުރެވުނު އެ އަސީރަކީ ބ. ތުޅާދޫ މިރިގަސްދޮށުގައި އިބުރާހިމް ރަޝީދެވެ.

އިބްރާހިމަކީ އޭނާގެ މަންމައާއި ބައްޕައަށް ލިބުނު 5 ކުދިންގެ ތެރެއިން ތިންވަނަ ކުއްޖާ އެވެ. އާއިލާގެ ތިބި ކުދިންގެ ތެރެއިން އެންމެ ކެރޭ އެންމެ ހިތްވަރު ގަދަ ކުއްޖާވެސް މެއެވެ. 1998 ވަނަ އަހަރު ސިފައިންގެއާ ގުޅުނު އިބްރާހިމް މަސައްކަތް ކުރަނީ ލޯންޗް ސެކްޝަނުގަ އެވެ.

” އެކަމަށް ގޮވާލުމުން އަހަރެންވެސް ދާންޖެހުނީ. އެހެންވެ ކެރިގެން ނުކުތީ“ ގިނަ އަނިޔާތަކެއް ލިބިފައިވާ އިބްރާހިމް ބުންޏެވެ.

އިބްރާހިމަށް ވަރަށް ގިނަ އަނިޔާތަކެއް ވަނީ ލިބިފަ އެވެ. މިހާރު ބޭސްއަޅާފައި ހުރިނަމަވެސް އޭނާގެ މޫނުން އެއަނިޔާތކުގެ އަސަރު ފާޅުވާން ހުއްޓެވެ. ލޯކައިރި އެކީ ވަނީ ކަޅުވެފައެވެ. ބަލާބެލުމަށް އެއީ މީހަކު ޖަހާފައިކަން އެނގެއެވެ. އަތުގައި ވަނީ ގަޔާއެކު ބެންޑޭޖް އަޅާފައެވެ.

” މިއީ ކިހިނެއްވީކަމެއް ކަމެއް ނޭނގެ. ހީވަނީ އަހަރެން ދަމާފައި ގެންދިޔައިރު ވެފައިއޮތް ކަމެއްހެން.“ ޕްލާސްޓަރު އަޅާފައިއޮތް އަތާމެދު އިބްރާހިމް ބުންޏެވެ.

އިބްރާހިމްގެ އެއް އަތުގެ ބޮޑީ މަސްގަނޑު ވަނީ ފޫދުއްވާލާފަ އެވެ. އެއްފަރާތުން އަނެއް ފަރާތަށެވެ. އަދި ބުޑު މަސްގަޑަށްވެސް ދަނގަޑު ހަރާފައި ވެއެވެ. ދަގަނޑުބުރިއަކުން ޖަހާ ބޮލުން ބޮޑުބައެއް ފަލާލާފައި ވެއެވެ. އެތަދު އިހްސާސް ކުރަމުން ދިޔަ ނަމަވެސް އިބްރާހިމް ބުނީ އެނާ ހައްޔަރު ވުމަށް ފަހު އޭނާއާ މެދު އެމީހުން ކަންތައްކުރީ ވަރަށް ރަނގަޅަށް ކަމަށެވެ.

” އަހަރެންނަށް މި އަނިޔާތައް ލިބުނީ އެމީހުންގެ ފަރާތުން. ނަމަވެސް އަސީރެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި އެމީހުން އަހަރެން ގެންދިޔަ ފަހުން އަހަރެންނާ މެދު ކަންތައްކުރީ ވަރަށް ރަނގަޅަށް. އެމީހުން ކާންދީ ހެދި. ބޭސްއަޅާދިން. އަދި ވަރަށް ރަނގަޅު.“ އައިޖީއެމްޗްގެ އިމަޖެންސީ ރޫމްގައި އޮވެ އިބްރާހިމް ކިޔާދިނެވެ.

” އެއީ ހަނގުރާމައިގެ މައިދާނަށް ދޫކޮށްލާފައި އޮތް ޒުވާނެއް. އޭރު އޭނާ އޮތީ ހޭނެތޭ ކަހަލަ ގޮތެއްވެފައި. އެހެންވެ އަހަރެމެން އޭނާ ނެގީ. އޭނާއޮތީ އަހަރެމެންގެ ބެލުމުގެ ދަށުގައި. އެނާއަކަށް އެއްވެސް އަނިޔާއެއް ނުކުރަން. މިހާރު ވަނީ އަހަރެމެން އަތުގައި ހުރި ބޭހެއްވެސް އަޅާފައި. ކާންވެސްދީފައި. ނަމަވެސް އޭނާގެ ހާލުވަރަށް ދެރަ.“ ވަކިން ޖަމާއަތް ހަދައިގެން ނަމާދުކުރަމުން ދިޔަ މީހުންގެ ތެރެއިން މީހަކު ރޭ 10 ޖަހާ އެކަންހާއިރު ޖަޒީރާއަށް ކިޔާދީފައި އެވެ.

އުމުރުން 28 އަހަރުގެ ޒުވާނާ ކޮއްކޮ އަބުދުﷲ ރަޝީދުބުނީ ބޭބެ ފެނުނު ވަގުތު ވަރަށް އަސަރު ކުރިކަމަށެވެ.

” ބޭބެގެ ބޯވަނީ ވަރަށް ބޮޑަށް ފަޅާލާފައި. ލޯކައިރި އެކީވަނީ ކަޅުވެފައި. އެތަން ފެނުމުން އެނގޭ އެއީ މީހަކު ޖަހާފައިކަން. ބޮޑީ މަސްގަނޑަށް ވަނީ ދަނގަޑެއްހާރާ ފޫދުއްވާލާފައި. ފޫކޮޅު މަސްގަނޑަށްވެސް ވަނީ ދަނގަޑު ހަރާފައި. އަތްވެސް ވަނީ ބިންދާލާފައި.“ އަބުދުﷲ ވަރަށް އަސަރާއެކު ރޮމުން ކަހަލަ ގޮތަކަށް ކިޔާދިނެވެ.

އަބުދުﷲ ބުނީ ބޭބެއަށް ކޮށްފައިވަނީ ބުނަންވެސް ނޭނގޭ ކަހަލަ އަނިޔާތަކެއް ކަމަށެވެ.

އިބްރާހިމަކީ އަމިއްލަ ދިރިއުޅުމެއް ފަށާ އަންހެން ކުއްޖަކު ލިބިފައިވާ ޒުވާނެކެވެ.

” އަހަރެންގާތުބުނި މިއުޅެނީ ފުރަންޖެހިގެނޭ. އަހަރެން މިދަނީ ފުރާށޭ. އެހެންބުނެ އިބްރާހިމް ދިޔައީ ފުރަން.“ އިބްރާހިމް ފުރިރޭ ކަންތައްވީގޮތް އިބްރާހިމްގެ އަންހެނުން ކިޔާދިނެވެ. އަންހެނުން ބުނީ އިބްރާހިމަކީ އަޒުމްވަރުގަދަ މީހެއްކަމަށެވެ.

Sobah confesses to lead in bombing

Yesterday, 13:34 0 Comments

Mohamed Sobah, 19, of V. Landhooaage has confessed to have led the preparation of the improvised explosive device (IED) and its detonation in Sultan Park, said the Maldives Police Service.

Speaking to the press at the Police Headquarters Assistant Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz said that knew of Sobah's role in the preparation and detonation of the device in the light of their investigations up till now.

Sobah is one of the three people whom the police has said have confessed to their involvement in the incident. The other two people are Ahmed Naseer and Moosa Eenaz.

He said that the explosive device was assembled at a guest house in Male', and that they believe the preparation of the device took a long time. He said that the room the group used in the guest house has been gone over by a forensics team.

He said that items gathered in connection with the incident included a hard disk belonging to Sobah, and that they have been able to obtain a lot of information from this disk.

Riyaz said that two key suspects connected with the incident, Ali Shameem and Abdul Latheef are still evading the police. He also said that police were carrying out operations in Shaviyani Atoll and Laamu Atoll.

'Militants' arrested in Maldives

BBC NEWS Monday, 8 October 2007, 17:42 GMT 18:42 UK

The stand-off lasted several hours before turning violent

Police in the Maldives say they have arrested nearly 50 people on a remote island in connection with a bomb blast last month in the capital Male.

Those detained were all Maldivians belonging to an Islamic militant group, according to a government spokesman.

He said clashes preceded the arrests on the island of Himandhoo.

Two Britons, two Japanese and eight Chinese tourists were hurt when the bomb exploded in a park in the capital on 29 September.

No groups has said it carried out the attack, which the government has blamed on Islamic militants in the mostly Muslim archipelago.

Search

About 100 security personnel searched every house of Himandhoo Island, which has a population of 600, according to a government statement.

It said that when they approached a compound used by Islamic radicals, they were confronted by 70 masked men armed with swords, bricks, iron rods, catapults and wooden planks.

By the end of the clashes 34 security force were injured, as were an undisclosed number of suspects.

Those arrested have now been taken to Male for questioning. A search is underway for suspects who may have avoided capture.

A government spokeswoman told the BBC that Himandhoo - about 90km (56 miles) from Male - has been under surveillance for some time because of "radical religious activities".

"These radicals refused to recognise the government's religious authority and set up a break-away 'mosque' - refusing to pray in the mosque built by the government," she said.

Police arrested 10 suspects in the aftermath of the bombing, but later released five.

The tourist industry is the linchpin of the Maldives' economy

Police Question Teen Over Religious Text Messages

By Ajay Makan MNS
October 8, 2007

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Police raided the house of a sixteen year old boy in the middle of Sunday night to grill him about text messages sent from his mobile phone quoting verses from the Koran.

In an apparent sign of government nervousness about radical religious activity in the aftermath of the Malé bomb blast, five policemen arrived at the Malé home at 4.15am and ordered the boy’s mother to wake her three sons.

The police asked all three boys to reveal their phone numbers, before taking the sixteen year old, who will not allow his name to be published, from his bedroom for questioning.

“They asked me if I had used my phone to send messages quoting the Koran,” the boy told Minivan News. “They told me they had copies of my text messages if I didn’t tell them anyway.”

The boy admitted to sending several verses of the Koran and short prayers, duas, to friends and relatives on other islands.

One particular verse, which appears to have triggered police interest, calls on Muslims to, “fight the leaders of unbelief… if they have attacked you first.”

The boy was not arrested, but the policemen searched the room he shares with his two elder brothers. At one point police uncovered an extractor fan capacitor and battery and had to be reassured about their use.

“They searched the room for almost half an hour. They kept looking at the fan and charger as if they could be used to make bombs,” one of the boy’s elder brothers said.

The police confiscated the mobile phones of all three brothers, promising they could be picked up at 9am on Monday.

Three plain clothes officers arrived at the house just after midnight on Tuesday to return two of the three phones. Police have kept the mobile of the sixteen year old.

The boy’s parents, who also asked not to be named, were taken outside by police at 5am.

“They told us we were not looking after our children and if we don’t control them they will become extremists,” his mother told Minivan News.

The boy’s father says the police openly admitted to reading his son’s text messages as part of the investigation into the Malé bomb blast on 29 September which injured twelve tourists.

“They told us a message had been sent from his phone saying Sheikh Fareed [a radical preacher] is calling for jihad, during the investigation. He says he hasn’t sent messages from Fareed.”

“It’s unlawful for them to read messages, but they told us they were allowed to in these extreme circumstances,” his father added.

Clause 20 of the Maldives constitution states, “letters, messages, telephonic conversations and other means of communication shall not be intercepted, read, listened to or divulged except as expressly provided by law.”

The People’s Majlis has not passed any law permitting the interception of private communications.

The police have declined to comment on the search or say whether they are intercepting text messages as part of the explosion investigation.

Allegations repeated that Gayoom’s abuse of Islam introduced extremism in Maldives

5 October, 2007

Posted by Administrator in Politics. MDP
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The MDP has restated the concern that President Gayoom’s duplicity for political survival (after awarding himself the prerogative of being the final authority in the propagation of the tenets of Islam since1978), had introduced religious disharmony and extremism into Maldivian society. The MDP had voiced repeated concerns to friendly countries from 2004 that there was a fear that if President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom continues to renege on his promises of reform, extremists (including religious fundamentalists) may take recourse to violence.

The Government of the Maldives, as recently as March this year, had received explicit and repeated warnings of the dangers of rising Islamic fundamentalism but failed to take action to address the issue, former attorney-general Dr Hassan Saeed said this week. Dr. Hassan Saeed who resigned his position last month in protest at government policies on withholding reforms, said the Maldives government had received a detailed action plan early this year to combat Islamist extremism but had “sat on the report”.

In 2005, MNDF Chief of Staff Brigadier Mohamed Zahir intimated to MDP Ambassador Mr. Ahmed Naseem, (then working closely with the MNDF as a tsunami aid coordinator), that “President Gayoom had been repeatedly cautioned on the threats of fundamentalist extremism, to no avail”.

Mr. Gayoom’s governance

President Gayoom has relied to a great deal on the abuse of Islam as his main tool of governance. To safeguard his political supremacy by forcefully outbidding opponents for Islamic credentials, he had begun a campaign of prosecutions against a number of Islamic scholars in the Maldives.

In Maldives, where almost everyone is a professed Muslim, the government media promotes the credo that going against President Gayoom – the leader chosen by God Almighty to lead the Maldives – is tantamount to heresy. In a country with an 800 year-old open island culture that practiced a very liberal form of Islam, it was President Gayoom who built parochial Madhrasas that, to a large extent, brought in the current breed of fundamentalism, a strain of Islam that had been virtually unheard of on the islands previously.

Upon assuming power in 1978, President Gayoom began to affect systematic changes to long held traditions, creating a huge social vacuum, allowing various Islamic groups to fill the void. This action was seen necessary for the head of state to be able to play a supremely religious role of sermonizing, and controlling the issuance of fatwa. This had effectively created a distinct sect that revolved around President Gayoom, fostering hatred and intolerance towards anyone who is not under the control or patronage of this faction.

Arab Islamist rhetoric

Sectarianism was introduced to Maldives after President Gayoom organized large rallies in 1979 in the capital and across the archipelago to agitate against the United States of America and Israel – in a campaign to collect funds for the PLO.

President Gayoom who attended the Al-Azhar University in Egypt (for 27 years) in the 1950s and 60s to attain an MA in Islamic jurisprudence, was strongly influenced by both the teachings of Syed Kutb and Baathist philosophy. His respect, admiration and close dealings, with Mr. Arafat, Mr. Gadhafi, and role model Mr. Saddam Hussain (outlined in his biography “A Man for All Islands”), were indicators of his preferred system of governance. He had given the PLO the country’s national flag carrier Air Maldives for gun-running and even received gifts of fire-arms (disguised as “dates from Basrah”) from mentor Mr. Saddam Hussain. As a key player in the Muslim World League and Islamic Call Society, President Gayoom also endeared himself to other Arab rulers with his Arab/Islamist rhetoric. In September 2004, at a meeting of the Muslim World League President Gayoom called for efforts “to defeat the dubious plans of Zionists and colonialists to weaken the Islamic Nations and control its wealth”.

Maldivian foreign policy (the past 29 years under long-time Azhar crony Mr. Fathullah Jameel) appears to have been written for the Palestine Liberation Organization, alienating and ignoring many countries of Europe and the Far East. The US and Britain were berated as colonialist villains aiding and abetting Zionist occupiers. The BBC was reviled as liars.

In a country of 300,000 with perhaps the most homogenous society on earth, President Gayoom spends over 8% of the GDP on “national defense” - a euphemism to justify his use of national resources to maintain his grip on power. President Gayoom’s system of governance had made apparent one central purpose – to maintain him and his family and cronies in power and wealth.

Following regular displays of considerable rallying strength of the opposition, the Roadmap for the Democratic Reform Agenda was drawn up and issued by Mr. Gayoom in March 2006. This was done without consulting other local stakeholders or those in the international community, except for the UK-based public relations company Hill & Knowlton. The Peoples Special Majlis (Constituent Assembly) have failed to work within the time lines of the Road Map, despite the President controlling an absolute majority.

Other political parties, civil society and international NGOs have submitted comments and analyses to the government regarding legislation. This feedback has been ignored by the government. The Road Map Agenda have missed all deadlines to date.

The MDP has repeatedly stated that the best mechanism to prevent the spread of extremist intolerance was the establishment of democratic institutions and the strengthening of democracy in the country.

The Maldivian Democratic Party will continue to seek further support from independent Maldivian reformists and friendly nations to surpass appealing to and depending on President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s sincerity in fast-tracking and implementing democratic reforms in the Maldives.