Amal Clooney's work in supporting ex-Maldives president Nasheed

Inspiring meeting w/[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], hero of mine, champion on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] & on many [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] cases. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

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annemarie wrote:Sadly, the troll is attacking Amal in that picture what an idiot.

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Katiedot wrote:Hahahaha!  If he owns a pair of wellies, we'll know it's just weeks before he collects his British passport.

Alisonfan wrote:In Maldives.beach horror? Terrorfying.I had no idea.
Italiens must not go for own safety.Why italiens are in danger more than all ppl?

melbert wrote:

Alisonfan wrote:In Maldives.beach horror? Terrorfying.I had no idea.
Italiens must not go for own safety.Why italiens are in danger more than all ppl?

Because Amal's husband owns a home there.

"Why after being the first democratically elected president in the history of the islands has been convicted by atrial denounced as a farce by the United Nations and held in prison in solitary confinement. They accuse him of terrorism, but terrorism is that the current government of the Maldives , which introduced the Sharia, he suppressed all dissent and provided support to Islamic extremism, whipping women in the public square for alleged immorality. "


The Maldives have long been one of the favorite holiday destinations by tourists, among them, also 200 thousand Italian tourists who visit each year the country; "75% of them return every year," said Nasheed. Amal Clooney speaks during the interview, the possibility of attacks in the country:

"The fear that an attack such as occurred in Tunisia to occur on the beaches of the Maldives is very real. Therefore, we propose targeted sanctions against members of the government, the freezing of their assets abroad, the prohibition of entry into Europe and the United States. We met the British Minister Cameronwho promised us support, it comes to translating words into deeds. "

Amal Clooney concludes the interview by contacting the Italian people and to Italy, which could be decisive for the future of the Maldives:

"I love Italy, I have so many good memories. I remember a nice extra if your government warned Italians that they better go on vacation elsewhere, as long as the Maldives does not back democracy."

LizzyNY wrote:WWHS -Interesting article. I was wondering why she singled out Italy for her warning. Maybe there are more tourists in the Maldives from Italy than from other countries, so their chance of being victims of any crime is greater - not just terrorism.

LizzyNY wrote: Katie would probably know more about how real the terror threat is in the Maldives since she has lived there.

Hebe wrote: What Amal said about the Maldivians joining ISIS is a bit clearer for me now. Though some of those who joined left and returned to the Maldives they have been left alone and even had an open rally and not arrested whilst Nasheed was arrested and imprisoned for terrorism when he had done nothing wrong.

Amal Clooney wrote:"The fear that an attack such as occurred in Tunisia to occur on the beaches of the Maldives is very real. Therefore, we propose targeted sanctions against members of the government, the freezing of their assets abroad, the prohibition of entry into Europe and the United States"

What Would He Say wrote:The truth is an attack can happen on any beach with western tourists or any nationality of tourists...

What Would He Say wrote:Sanctions?...freezing assets?...preventing travel to US and Europe....HTF is that going to stop what happens on a tourist beach?

party animal - not! wrote:Nasheed has millions, Katie?! Where from?.......

party animal - not! wrote: under him as President wouldn't it be a democracy? Was his election free and fair?

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The Maldives can't afford to lose tourism.
Photographer: Ishara S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images

Maldives Wants U.S. to Help It Fight Terrorism

66 Sept 29, 2015 3:18 PM EDT
By Josh Rogin

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.

“No group has claimed responsibility," he said. "But we believe it was an attack directed to the president. That’s the first time the president has been attacked in that way.”
Ali was in the United States this week for the UN General Assembly, and he said his government has been tracking an increased flow of its citizens traveling to Iraq and Syria to fight there, at least 40 so far. Some are coming back to the Maldives.
“That is actually the biggest threat that we face as a nation-state and as a society. That is our biggest fear,” he said. “And that’s where our security forces are finding quite a challenge.”
An unidentified Islamic extremist group last month threatened terrorist attacks and attacks against the president in a YouTube video that featured the flag of the Islamic State. But Ali said that until this week, there had been no credible information that any terrorist group was operating in the Maldives. Now the government is reevaluating that.
“Some of the terrorist groups operating in South Asia and the Middle East have been able to penetrate to certain individuals," he said. "We know Maldivians are being recruited. Social media is they key instrument being used.”
The Maldives cannot tackle Islamic extremism comprehensively on its own. The government wants more intelligence cooperation, more security assistance and more engagement from its international partners, especially the United States.
“There is a need to cooperate," he said. "And while the Maldives is one of the smallest countries, the challenges we face are not small.”
The Maldives, dependent on tourism, doesn’t want its image as a paradise destination for honeymooners altered by the presence of armed guards everywhere. But Ali said officials are upgrading security at airports and tourist destinations.
Ali said the government now has no choice but to give law enforcement new tools to find those who are planning to travel abroad for jihad and jail them before they can leave. New anti-terror legislation has prompted opposition from human rights groups and the opposition party.
“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,” he said. “I hope this attack will be a wake-up call to the entire society and create a sense of urgency for everyone.”
There is also a broader argument for increased cooperation between the United States and the Maldives.  The Indian Ocean will be key to geopolitical balance in the coming decades. China is increasingly making its presence known there, challenging India’s traditional dominance.
The status quo in the Indian Ocean favors the U.S. The two nations' common interest in preventing terrorism could refocus Washington's attention to the Maldives, securing that foothold -- if Washington chooses to respond.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

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Terror warning: Holidaying Britons at SERIOUS RISK of ISIS attack

CONCERNS are growing for the safety of British tourists holidaying on the tropical paradise of Maldives, as extremists in the state continue to gain influence.

By Joey Millar
PUBLISHED:  00:01, Mon, Sep 14, 2015   | UPDATED: 18:19, Mon, Sep 14, 2015  

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Britons flocking for a holiday in the sun are at serious risk of a terror attack
More than 200 'island jihadis' are now fighting for Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda in Syria and Iraq, a startlingly high figure considering the tiny nation has the same population as Coventry. 

More radicals remain in the country, where they are working to recruit others. 

Whereas it was previously understood that radicals would not launch a terror campaign in the country, the threat of an attack against wealthy Western tourists is now a growing concern, according to a former Maldivian security official.

He said: "Our assessment previously was that local radical groups would not strike on their home turf, not least as they did not want to attract the sort of attention that would come with it. 

"But with the emergence of groups such as the Islamic State, that assessment is changing. We are facing a much more unpredictable and dangerous environment.”

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The Maldives capital city of Male is a popular destination for Britons but also 'island jihadis'
One million tourists visit the country each year, with many luxury resorts located just a short speed boat trip away from the increasingly-radical capital city of Male.

There is now a strict ban on alcohol while women are dressing more modestly in headscarves or full-length robes.

In 2012 gay blogger had his throat slashed outside his home while this year a journalist was abducted after writing about the growing influence of gangs and terrorists.

He is still missing. 

The former security official admitted: "We know who these guys are, but there is not the evidence or the organisation for the state to pick them up.

"So the police try to keep an eye on them and hope for the best.” 

The country's fragile economy is heavily reliant on tourism but the threat of home-grown terrorism is nonetheless growing quickly.

Preachers hold up the seven Maldivians who have died fighting in the Middle East as martyrs and post inflammatory videos online. 

In one, a preacher declares: "The Maldives is even today being ruled by unbelievers, and if they are unbelievers we have to wage war against them."

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Isis in paradise: Maldives latest recruiting ground for Islamic State

• By  Peter Carty
  August 31, 2015 16:54 BST
  
• 242
  

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]ISIS are theatening to kill the president and unleash a wave of terrorismYoutube
In an ISIS video released on 31 August on social media, three masked men threatened to kill the president of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, and to unleash a terrorist campaign on the islands, one of the world's most sought-after holiday destinations.
The group are demanding the release of opposition leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla, who was arrested in May following anti-government protests. So far the video's authenticity remains unconfirmed.
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Abdulla was accused by the government of inciting violence among protesters, who were demanding the resignation of the president over the imprisonment of former president Mohamed Nasheed and other political leaders. Abdulla aimed to overthrow the government and "called for clashes with the police if necessary," according to reports in the Guardian newspaper.

In the video the men threatening to bomb resorts. The threat of terrorism could seriously undermine the country's tourism industry, which would be disastrous for the local economy.
The Maldives in the Indian Ocean is famous for its pristine, palm-fringed beaches and warm, azure waters. It is a top destination for luxurious tourism but that could soon change in the event of attacks, in the same way as Tunisia - popular with package tourists from Europe - which was targeted by Islamic militants.
This could be a hammer blow to the islands' economy that is heavily dependent on tourism, which accounts for 28% of the economy and more than 60% of foreign exchange. All of the island's infrastructure development is led by tourism revenues.
The video is the latest and most high profile action by Isis on the archipelago's 1,200 atolls, but Islamists have been active here for some time and many jihadis have left to fight in Syria. It is estimated that between 50 and 100 of the country's 300,000 strong citizens have so far left to pursue jihad.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]The Maldives--a small string of islands in the Indian Ocean that boasts surreal beachfronts and extraordinary getawaysFlickr.com
The threat of terrorism is not solely a domestic issue. The first departures of Maldivians to Syria were reported in 2013 and so far at least five citizens have been killed there. There are fears that they could travel further afield; several countries, including the UK, do not require entry visas from Maldives residents.
"There are serious concerns," said one western diplomat in the region. "The risk is either of an attack locally or someone coming to Europe or even going on to the US."
Endemic poverty and deprivation may be behind local radicalisation. Some of those travelling to Syria came from poor fishing communities on outlying islands; others came from the capital which features a mix of radical preaching, organised crime and social deprivation.
Democratic elections in 2008 ended three decades of autocratic rule, but have brought political instability in their wake. The World Bank has blamed the ease with which criminal gangs have recruited young Maldivians on "inactivity and apathy, unemployment, drug use and "the need for young men to prove their masculinity"
Violent attacks on so-called secular activists in the Maldives have been blamed on radicalised gang members. One blogger was badly injured in 2012 and a moderate cleric and parliamentarian stabbed to death outside his home. Gang members last year threatened local activists who ran blogs and Facebook pages calling for tolerance for homosexuals, and last August local journalist Rilwan Ahmed Abdulla was abducted and has not been seen since.
"Ahmed's abduction was related to this radicalisation of the gangs. He was exposing and angering them. First they threatened him, then they disappeared him," said Rilwan Moosa, brother of the journalist.
Moosa believes people in the west should pay more attention to local troubles. "This place is more dangerous than they think. It is becoming highly radicalised. This is not a paradise on Earth any more," he said