If you haven’t heard of the Maldives you aren’t alone. This small island in the Indian Ocean is best known for its picturesque beaches which make it a popular exotic vacation spot for affluent Europeans and Asians.
Here it is on a map for reference:
[revad1]
However they have seen dozens of citizens leave to join ISIS and now some are returning. This Sunday, their President and first lady narrowly escaped an explosion on their boat – An attack they believe carried out by ISIS.
Much of this stems from a YouTube threat made against the president by radicals who left the island, whose population is only 345,023 people.
Now they are pleading with the U.S. to help them.
“There is an urgent need to criminalize not only the actual activity you do, but the intention of traveling to these places to engage in warfare,” said Maldivian Foreign Secretary Ali Naseer Mohamed. “I hope this attack will be a wake-up call to the entire society and create a sense of urgency for everyone.”
Should we help this small nation? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
__________
From Bloomberg View:
The Maldives is calling on the United States to help it respond to an attack on its president, potentially opening the newest front in the war on terror.
President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Sunday narrowly escaped an explosion on his boat. His wife was injured. Investigators have converged on the island nation in the Indian Ocean to determine whether the blast is related to organized terrorism. The government is already rethinking its security and defense practices; top officials say terrorist recruiting has been on the rise there.
Maldivian Foreign Secretary Ali Naseer Mohamed told me Tuesday that officials are still piecing together what happened.
