BBC has reported that opposition figures had planned a coup to oust President Abdullah Yameen from power.
Quoting reliable sources, BBC said that moves will be made against the president soon and these will follow legal avenues.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed and his allies, had departed to Sri Lanka. Nasheed and his allies had been in self-imposed exile. RaajjeTV quoting opposition alliance officials last night said they had gone to Sri Lanka for a secret meeting which will be held outside of Colombo.
Quoting International Spokesperson Ibrahim Shihab BBC said they knew of claims of an attempt to "overthrow" the government, describing it as a "clear breach of international norms". The Spokesperson described it as a "formal attempt at 'legally' overthrowing the government".
Shihab said that such a plan was "disingenuous to the people of the Maldives and in clear breach of international legal norms,"
An opposition figure on the condition of anonymity said the plans were a last resort attempt.
Speculations were rife that opposition figures along with the support of foreign nations had attempted to arrest the President on the 23rd of this month. The Army had been working on high alert following these speculations, strengthening the President's security detail.
Former Commissioner of Police and Kimbidhoo Constituency MP Abdullah Riyaz had traveled to UK in the same period. Riyaz was an instrumental figure in bringing down the Government of President Mohamed Nasheed. In her interview to BBC, Galolhu North Constituency MP Eva Abdullah said President Yameen had lost backing from his own Party, adding that a "group" will depose the incumbent Government.
Maldives Independent Editor Zaheena Rasheed had also contributed to the BBC piece, stating that "It's the worst it's been," and expressing her concerns over media freedom and freedom of expression.
When the opposition figures banded together a few months back, they had said one of their aims was to bring in an interim government to power, after removing President Yameen from power. The President was the target of an assassination attempt, by way of an explosive placed on his speedboat. Further assassination attempts were also revealed after this, including bombs and hiring a sniper.
