Maldives ex-VP jailed for 15 years for attempt on president

MALE, Maldives (AP) — A Maldives court on Thursday convicted the country's former vice president of masterminding a plot to kill the president by exploding a bomb on his speedboat last year and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

The government had stood by its claim that the mysterious blast was an assassination attempt even though FBI investigators concluded they saw no evidence of a bomb blast.

Human rights groups have accused Gayoom of jailing opponents and potential challengers in order to tighten his grip on power.

Maldives former president Mohamed Nasheed, former defense minister Mohamed Nazim and Sheik Imran Abdulla, leader of a prominent opposition party are the other leaders given lengthy prison terms since Gayoom assumed office.