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Maldives leader appeals for calm after deputy's arrest, says step taken in country's interests

Associated Press
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In photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015, Maldives Vice President Ahmed Adeeb speaks to media in Male, Maldives. The vice president of the Maldives will be charged with high treason after being arrested Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015 in connection with an explosion aboard the president's boat last month that authorities have called an assassination attempt, officials said. (Fayaz Moosa/Sun Media Group via AP) NO ARCHIVE, NO SALES (The Associated Press)

Maldives Vice President Ahmed Adeeb's lawyer Hussain Shameem speaks to the press in Male, Maldives, Saturday, Oc. 24, 2015. Adeeb will be charged with high treason after being arrested Saturday at the airport when he returned home from an official visit to China via Singapore, in connection with an explosion aboard the president's boat last month on Sept. 28 that authorities have called an assassination attempt, officials said. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain) (The Associated Press)

Maldives police cordons the area as the house associated with Vice President Ahmed Adeeb is searched in Male, Maldives, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. Adeeb will be charged with high treason after being arrested Saturday at the airport when he returned home from an official visit to China via Singapore, in connection with an explosion aboard the president's boat last month on Sept. 28 that authorities have called an assassination attempt, officials said. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain) (The Associated Press)

The president of the Maldives has appealed for calm in the wake of the arrest of his deputy on suspicion of links to what authorities call an assassination attempt and says the decision was made in the best interests of the country.

President Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Sunday spoke to some media about the arrest of Vice-President Ahmed Adeeb, which came Saturday after he returned from an official visit to China. Police took him directly to a detention center from the airport.

Gayoom was unhurt when an explosion went off on his speedboat on Sept. 28 as he was traveling to the capital from the airport at the end of a hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.