Bomb attack against the president – House speaker Kövér wishes speedy recovery
Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed is conscious after life-saving surgery, his family said on Saturday, as police made two arrests in connection with a blast they said was being treated as a terror attack. House Speaker Kászló Kövér has expressed his sympathy to him in a telegram, according to the document sent to MTI on Friday.
Nasheed, the president of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party and the current parliament speaker, was critically injured after a bomb exploded as he left his family home in the capital Male on Thursday. Police on Saturday said they had made two arrests in connection with the blast, without giving further details.
“I’m good,” Nasheed said after coming off life support, according to a tweet by his sister Nashida Sattar.
His brother, Ibrahim Nashid, said doctors were happy with Nasheed’s recovery.
“He is out of life support and breathing on his own,” he said in a tweet. “Managed to exchange a few words. Promised to come back stronger. I believe him.”
Nasheed, the Maldives’ first democratically-elected president, is an outspoken critic of Islamic extremism in the Sunni Muslim island archipelago, and has been instrumental in investigating graft allegations against opposition leaders.
The country has a reputation for political unrest.
Nasheed was deposed and exiled in what he called a coup in 2012, while in 2015, former President Abdulla Yameen escaped unharmed after an explosion on his speedboat.
In 2007, a blast that was blamed on Islamist militants targeted foreign tourists and injured 12 people.
“I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn that you and a close colleague of yours have been injured in the attack carried out near your residence,” Hungarian Hous speaker László Kövér said. He extended his heartfelt sympathy to Nasheed on behalf of the Hungarian parliament and wished him a speedy recovery.
Hungary condemns the attack and remains committed towards fighting all forms of terrorism and religious extremism,
Kövér said.
According to Maldivian government sources, Nasheed was target of a suspected attempt near his home on Thursday evening in the capital city of Male.
Source: Reuters, MTI