Maldives Vice-President arrested, indicted for high treason in an alleged plot to assasinate the president

Maldives Vice-President Ahmed Adeev has been arrested in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate the President, Abdulla Yameen Gayoom.

According to the Police spokesman Ismail Ali, Ahmed Adeeb was arrested today Saturday Oct. 24th at the airport when he returned from an official visit to China, on suspicion of links to a blast on the presidential boat last month. 

The September 28 explosion took place aboard the boat when President Yameen Abdul Gayoom and his wife were returning to the capital from the airport after a hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

The president was unhurt, but his wife and and a number of others were injured when the device went off under a seat normally - but not in this instance - occupied by Mr Yameen. 

 

Soon after the blast, speculation began to grow that Mr Adeeb was involved, reports say. Under the Maldivian constitution, the vice-president succeeds the president if he dies, is incapacitated or resigns. 

Officials described the attack as an assassination attempt and had arrested two senior police officers - a week after the president fired his defence minister.

 

Home Minister Naseer said Mr Adeeb was being held on a prison island.