Following is the text of the press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Arts on 29 September 2007 in connection with the explosion in Male’:
PRESS RELEASE
Twelve foreign nationals injured in an improvised device explosion; Government of Maldives strongly condemns the act
The Government of the
The device went off at about 2.36 p.m. today injuring twelve foreign nationals. The injured include two British nationals who sustained significant burns, while eight Chinese and two Japanese suffered minor burns and injury caused by flying shrapnel. All were immediately taken to Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and ADK hospital for treatment.
All except the British nationals have now been discharged from hospital. Minister of Tourism Mahmood Shaugcc visited the victims in hospital to express the support and concern of the Government and the people of the Maldives. The area near Sultan Park has been cordoned off by the Maldives Police Service and the Maldives National Defense Force which have launched a joint investigation into the incident. CCTV footage has been released and the public has been urged to share any information that might help with the investigation.
A key ministerial group has been instituted to discuss and take decisions on the next, steps to be taken in relation to the incident.
The Government of Maldives has always condemned acts of aggression and terror wherever they are perpetrated and has vowed to bring the perpetrators of today’s explosion to justice. As of yet no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the identities of the perpetrators and the motives behind the act are not yet clear.
